Picture by Stephen Schmidt
Woodstock is understood for its charming downtown, outlet retailers and proximity to Allatoona Lake, but when Robert Morris has his manner, it will not be lengthy earlier than it is generally known as the house of Scavenged Souls. “I need individuals to say, ‘That is the place the place the crazies run that nice haunted home!'” he says.
It could possibly occur. Since 2016, Robert, his spouse, Nicole, and their neighbors Mike and Tracy Clark, have staged a well-liked haunted home each October at Morris’ dwelling. What began as a enjoyable, one-night providing has grown into an enormous, seven-day occasion that pulls 1000’s of individuals. The 4 neighbors spend months planning each facet of the haunted home, from the annual theme (assume “Scary Carnival,” “Historical Tombs,” and “Evil Orphanage”) to skilled sound results and movie-quality make-up and costume props.
Picture by Stephen Schmidt
Final yr, they scared even haunted-house lovers by main them via a darkish basement and sending them behind a hacked-up, six-foot freezer. As members push open the freezer door and stumble into the dimly lit kitchen, every cupboard begins to open and shut courtesy of pneumatic pistons. Screams might be heard across the block, and Mike – who had deliberate the freezer/cupboard stunt for years – could not wipe the smile off his face. “It is type of a dream to have your personal haunted home,” he says.
It is a dream he fortunately shares together with his neighbors. He and Tracy lived in Woodstock’s Bradshaw Park neighborhood for years earlier than Morris moved in, and the Clarks have been all the time a bit of excessive with their Halloween decorations (rows of hand-carved tombstones, dozens of life-size clowns). “We’re Halloween individuals,” Mike quips. In 2014, the Morris household started dwelling throughout the road, and round Halloween, they observed large barrels of “poisonous sludge” on the Clarks’ entrance garden, over which coloured smoke had been poured. Robert, who says he and Nicole have been “very into Halloween” for a very long time, was thrilled. “I mentioned, Properly, we’re in the correct neighborhood.“
Picture by Stephen Schmidt
As the 2 households get to know one another (Mike and Robert went to Georgia collectively), they resolve to affix forces and construct a haunted home. To make props, they scour building websites and dove into dumpsters to gather supplies—therefore their title, “Scavenged Souls.” The Morris household enlisted their 5 youngsters to assist hang-out guests. That first yr, about 100 individuals confirmed up, and “we thought that was wonderful, particularly for a face-to-face occasion,” says Mike.
Picture by Stephen Schmidt
Picture by Stephen Schmidt
As a substitute of charging admission, they determined to ask every attendee to convey a can of meals for 2 native nonprofits, By no means Alone and Bascomb Mission Thrift. The primary yr they held the haunted home, they have been capable of fill 5 baggage with the cans they acquired. Final yr the donation weighed greater than a ton. Tracy says she loves the look of shock on the faces of food-pantry volunteers once they drop off the can simply in time for the Thanksgiving season. “We’re serving to lots of people,” she says “We may by no means have imagined it.”
They’re hoping they’re going to have an excellent greater assortment to donate after this yr’s haunted home, which guarantees to be greater and extra interactive than ever. Twenty novice actors will likely be a part of the scary enjoyable, in addition to all 5 Morris youngsters. Because the yr’s theme is revealed and other people submit about their experiences, Woodstock might certainly turn out to be one among metro Atlanta’s Halloween headquarters. “This haunted home brings collectively individuals who would in any other case be strangers and permits us to have enjoyable and make imagine via play,” says Robert. “For me, it is the neighborhood facet that makes it essentially the most enjoyable.”
This yr, Scavenged Souls is open October 11-12, 18-19, 25-26, and 31. It’s positioned at 512 Osprey Lane in Woodstock Extra info is offered right here.
commercial
