Is there a more joyous event in Harvard than Halloween? True, for some children it may be a source of anxiety, and some parents may be rightly concerned with the consumerism of costumes and the overconsumption of sweets. But Halloween on the Common has become one of Harvard’s signature social events in recent years, and for that we have many people to thank.
Thanks are due police administrative assistant Trish Rouvel, who in recent years has managed collection and provision of donated candy to the households that have agreed to participate. When supplies ran short of demand this year, she took to social media to press for additional donations and then, on Monday, stationed herself outside Fivesparks to make it easy for Halloween treat providers who lacked supplies to pick up her well-stocked bags for the following night.
Rouvel also recruited volunteers to help families new to town center or in need of assistance, but told the Press that she was disappointed so few had signed up this year. Members of the high school National Honor Society have volunteered in years past, but only one stepped forward this time. A handful of adults lent a hand, but more are needed next year, said Rouvel.
We salute the police for keeping the streets safe and accident free this year, and the Lions Club, the General Store, and the Congregational Church for keeping the ghosts, goblins, and more contemporary spirits hydrated and fed. Their generosity is noteworthy.
But most of all we thank the 36 households that decked out their homes with spiders, cobwebs, Barbies, and more—and handed out the sweets. Without them, Halloween on the Common would be a fantasy, not the living dream it has become.
