Happily Haunting

"When the crypt doors creak

And the tombstones quake

Spooks come out for a singing wake

Happy haunts materialize

And begin to vocalize

Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize"

- Grim Grinning Ghosts

Every year except one in the last 17, the crew at the Phillips County Ambulance Association - headed by head haunter Gina Lamb - have brought grinning ghosts and other ghouls to Malta at the annual haunted house and this Friday and Saturday, the freaky friends once again gather to spook and dazzle all in the name of fundraising.

"Last year we donated $500 to the Malta Boys and Girls Club fundraiser and, as always, we will be donating all the canned goods we receive to the Malta Food Bank," Lamb said as she, her daughters Justine and Genoa, as well as Danika and Eric Wilke started to set up this year's haunted house in the basement of Stretch's Pizza.

The Haunted House will again be held over two nights, Friday and Saturday, October 25 and 26, from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. Admission for the event is $5 for a first visit ($4 with a donated canned good which will go to the Malta Food Bank) and each subsequent trip through the halls of the Haunted House cost $4.

The theme for this year's haunted house will be "suspense," according to Lamb, the first time in many that the festivities will be themed after not going well as expected the last time.

"One year, we did a nursey rhyme theme and it wasn't great," she laughed. "But to be honest, our theme is "wing it" ... the 16th year of winging it."

Lamb said that a couple of dozen people who set up the haunted house - including Heather Jenkins and Jessica Weston who will once again be in charge of make-up - will once again help set up this year and though the official hours of the haunted house are from 7 to 9, since Friday night is the same time as the last regular season home football game for the Malta Mustangs, hours will likely be extended a bit to accommodate for the football fans and players.

"In fact, we encourage large groups of players, or large groups in general, to come and visit us because it's fun to show up and walk through with lots of people," Lamb said. "As long as there is a line, we will keep going, and Stretch's closes at 10 p.m. ...We would also like to thank Stretch's Pizza for allowing us to be here for 16 years. We are so grateful."

Lamb said the Ambulance Association appreciates all the help they getting in setting up the haunted house each year as well as the support of the community in turning out for the event and they are happy to pay-it-forward with the donations they are able to make to local organizations.

"We just have so much fun doing it each year and we hope everyone comes out and see us," Lamb concluded.