Charlotte Buchanan, the wild and wonderful creator of many frankly outrageous events here in Fremont, led our entirely mainstream Trick-Or-Treat event. Charlotte fought to get Fremont retailers united and to bring in customers. Her D.B. Cooper Day and 20% More Day (held on April 1st) challenged our minds and creativity, and make Trick-Or-Treat appear downright boring by comparison.

Times Change

Charlotte ran Trick-Or-Treat twice before other, and bigger, events took her attention and energy. However, some people start and others follow - and I always play clean up. I took over running Trick-Or-Treat in 1998 and recently, I sat over hot chocolate with myself to find out why I'd done it. "I saw this as a chance to involve retailers with the children in our community." I told myself. "Those opportunities don't come along often enough."

Charlotte charged a small fee of the retailers involved, using the funds to advertise and to do a mass purchase of candy for distribution. With no interest in being compared to Charlotte, or doing that much work, I let a year pass before I picked up the pieces. When retailers, including restaurants, choose to participate these days, they hand out whatever kind of treat they desire. Some businesses avoid candy. In 2003, children received finger puppets, organic cookies and coupons for future ice cream cones. I'll draft a flyer and create a map that I encourage participating businesses to use to invite customers to return with their children but we do no group ad. Thanks to Jeanne Muir of Muir Public Relations and John Nordstrand of History House, we have press releases and get some exposure.

Tradition Remains

Every year, so far, the Chamber Board of Directors has given this effort its "Arf!" of support. In the beginning, as the Chamber Executive Secretary, I kept this entirely separate from my duties for the FCC. I made phone calls to retailers on my own time, but even then Chamber backing gave me a knee in the door. A call from the Chamber gets answered more quickly than one from some strange woman that lives down the street. Also, the Chamber Board has, in years of solvency, given $100 towards printing costs incurred by the event.

For all our funky and free-wheeling ways, we keep it simple. On the actual day of Halloween, October 31st, for a few hours in the afternoon (generally 3 - 6 p.m.) we invite children to roam from business to business in Fremont "trolling" for treats. Children must be in costume and accompanied by an adult. Personally, in years I handed out treats, I also demanded a verbal "Trick-Or-Treat." Participating businesses identify themselves by an 8 ½" x 11" orange flyer hung on their door or in their window. When new businesses don't get a flyer, due to timing or my negligence, hand lettered signs appear in windows beckoning to families.

Fundamental & Elemental

At the start of a new millennium, parents prefer their kids trick-or-treat in business districts where they feel a familiarity and permanence. For all Fremont's wild ways (TrollOween, the Fremont Arts Council event comes to mind) parents have always given an extremely positive response to our event.

Charlotte hardly invented the idea of a retail trick-or-treat, but back then Fremont existed as one of only a few options. Now, many malls and shopping districts go much further, with contests, entertainment, and dances. However, the heart of ours remains self-sustaining - easy to run with no bankroll required.

With An Eye To The Future

"I've been able to set up Trick-or-Treat ahead of time several years, and be sitting under the Mexican sun on the day of," I confessed. With the invaluable assistance of Sue Sanem at Portage Bay Goods who helps distribute flyers to area businesses, plus Lisa Perry of Twice Sold Tales and Mary Lou Salter, an area Mom, Trick-or-Treat is ready weeks before Halloween. "It's a no-brainer," retailers tell me when I ask if they will participate yet again this year.

Each year, I start the same way. What began with 30 calls to the core retailers in our downtown, now tops 150 calls to businesses in all parts of Fremont. This is the hardest part of the job, and the most fun! Every year I check in, meet new management, and hear of the eternal struggles of small business ownership.

"The Children Are Our Future," need not be empty rhetoric. Kids will be our customers, employees, and business owners in the very near future. To have them, and their parents, think well of our business district today, tomorrow and in five years for the price of a couple bite-size Snickers comes cheap indeed.