Sorority Row had not been so full of excitement, preparation, and people since recruitment, although the stars of Oct. 27 were a little younger than the usual crowd. Hordes of children dressed in their most adorable costumes came to row to participate in 2011’s Ghouls, Goblins and Greeks, an event put on by the Panhellenic women of the University of Florida to provide a secure place for Gainesville’s youths to acquire their Halloween candy and enjoy the holiday.
After working through the weekend and putting the final touches on the yards right up to when the kids arrived, the Panhellenic women witnessed the fruits of their labor firsthand. The children were all smiles as they eagerly raced up to each house to play the themed games the girls had created and take pictures with those in costume. Parents were able to enjoy the afternoon as well thanks to the safe environment for their children to trick-or-treat.
The lawns of each house on Sorority Row were decorated with painstaking detail in order to provide the best overall experience for the kids. Children got to see their favorite themes acted out in real-life, where they were able to be active participants. From new favorites such as Phi Mu’s take on Disney’s Tangled to modern classics such as Delta Gamma’s take on Sesame Street and Sigma Kappa’s take on Scooby Doo, the kids could not have been more comfortable to explore or happier when they discovered their costumes matched the theme of the house.
The children’s enthusiasm did not waver for a second. There was a constant flow of families from the beginning of the event to the end. Nothing was too scary for the kids or too immature; they were willing to try everything! Some of the children even turned the Cat in the Hat face-in-the-hole photo opportunity at Kappa Delta into a candy throwing game that attracted even more kids than it had with its previous purpose.
All in all, the children and their parents went home with big smiles and bags full of candy and the evening culminated with the women of Sorority Row being full of Panhellenic love and community pride.