Halloween isn’t just for kids, and Binghamton University students are sharing the spooky season festivities with local children in the area. Dickinson Town Council (DTC), SUNY Kids and the Panhellenic Council are all hosting events this year to celebrate Halloween with the Binghamton community.

On Oct. 26, DTC and SUNY Kids collaborated for their “Lift your SPIRITS” event and gave out treats to children trick-or-treating in Dickinson Community, continuing a yearly tradition.

Tyler Glovin, president of DTC and a junior majoring in accounting, wrote in an email that the council partnered with SUNY Kids because they wanted to help give back to the community.

“SUNY Kids is very involved in helping young children [in] the Binghamton area and to be able to get all [1,600] Dickinsonians to help make their day was an opportunity that we couldn’t pass up,” Glovin wrote.

In order to ensure the event ran smoothly, DTC made flyers and encouraged students to sign up to volunteer to give out candy. SUNY Kids organized the transportation for the children, bought the candy and collected volunteers from their organization to assist with the event. The SUNY Kids members gave candy to the Dickinson Community resident volunteers to hand out to the children, and the members chaperoned the children while they trick-or-treated door-to-door.

Glovin said he and his suitemates participated in the event by handing out candy, putting up spooky Halloween decorations and dressing up in costumes.

“I personally wanted to do my part in helping make the kids’ day a little extra special,” Glovin wrote. “I remember when I was a kid, I loved going to the house that was a little bit spookier, so I went above and beyond to help make these kids’ days. The kids were so energetic and had the biggest smile on their faces when they arrived at my suite.”

Emily Kogan, chief financial officer of DTC and a sophomore majoring in business administration, wrote in an email that she enjoyed the event and being able to give back to the community.

“Back home, I live right by a park that always has many festivities for Halloween, and giving out candy for SUNY Kids this year brought me home,” Kogan wrote. “I’m glad that I was able to help the kids involved have a happy Halloween.“

But DTC and SUNY Kids are not the only student groups working on Halloween-themed events. The Panhellenic Council and Interfraternity Council have been working setting up a “Trunk or Treat” event that would serve as another alternative to trick-or-treating.

From 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 30, fraternity and sorority members had more than 20 trunks set up in Downtown Binghamton in the Horizons Federal Credit Union lot on Main Street.

Tara Mandel, vice president of philanthropy and community service for the Panhellenic Council and a junior majoring in integrative neuroscience, wrote in an email that the goal of the “Trunk or Treat” event is to have all of Greek life come together and get more involved with the community.

“I really wanted to have everyone involved in giving back to our own community that gives us so much,” Mandel wrote.

Mandel wrote that the event is intended for children to have a safe environment to trick or treat in, which will allow parents to relax and enjoy the holiday as well.

“Our goal was to help ease the minds of parents during this holiday, giving their children a safe and fun place to trick or treat,” Mandel wrote. “I know that the holidays can be a stressful time; I just hope that this can alleviate some of the stress and let families enjoy our safe ‘Trunk or Treat.’”

The event offered face painting, tattoos, crafts, a costume contest and, of course, more than 10,000 pieces of candy.

“What I look forward to most is seeing the expression on these children’s faces, for them to make an amazing memory and having an equally amazing time,” Mandel wrote.