Halloween night in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood has drawn hundreds of young people for years. In the past, however, large gatherings of teenagers ended in violence, theft and property destruction. To keep that from happening again, residents have organized an initiative called CollaBOOration for the past several years. Its founder, Bennie Currie, is now appealing for more adult volunteers.
CollaBOOration in Hyde Park: A Way to a Safe Halloween
Bennie Currie has lived in Hyde Park for more than 30 years. In 2019, he launched CollaBOOration, a project aimed at giving teenagers safe entertainment on Halloween and reducing the risk of rowdy behavior.
The impetus was the events of 2018. During Halloween gatherings that year, more than a dozen cars were damaged, and two University of Chicago students were beaten and robbed.
Currie concluded that instead of merely reacting to incidents, it was worth creating an alternative for young people and involving the local community.
CollaBOOration includes concerts, artistic performances and free refreshments. Adult volunteers oversee the event, mingling with the young people and helping maintain a friendly atmosphere.
The organizers stress that many of the teenagers who come to Hyde Park do not have similar safe places to spend time together in their own neighborhoods.
Residents Want More Adults on the Streets
Some young people have responded positively to the initiative. Kenwood Academy students who took part in last year’s celebrations say that the presence of adults can help keep all participants safe.
Currie believes the efforts so far have produced results. He says organizers have managed to reach a point where no arrests were recorded during the event. In his view, though, what matters most is having a sufficiently large number of volunteers on the streets.
Up to 300 Volunteers Needed
The main gathering place for Halloween meetups is 53rd Street, one of Hyde Park’s most important commercial thoroughfares. Organizers want hundreds of adults to turn out there this Halloween to support young people and help maintain order.
So far, about 125 volunteers have signed up. Currie hopes to raise that number to at least 300.
The organizer stresses that the more adults get involved, the greater the chance that Halloween in Hyde Park will remain a joyful event rather than a night full of incidents and destruction.
Source: Polski.FM
