Once upon a time, there was a parking lot.
Not a magical parking lot. Just an ordinary one, with painted lines, parked cars, and people coming and going. Every morning, it welcomed teachers, therapists, families, and children to a very special school called the Meyer Center.
Cars pulled in. Cars pulled out. The sun rose. The sun set. The parking lot was perfectly happy being a parking lot.
Well, most of the time.
Once a year, as October came to a close, something extraordinary happened. The parking lot came alive! Cars arrived wearing costumes of their own. Ordinary trunks became castles, haunted houses, and magical lands. Grown-ups traded their everyday clothes for silly hats and superhero capes. There were pumpkins, princesses, superheroes, and dinosaurs.
The parking lot didn’t mind. It loved them all, but it knew the most important guests hadn’t arrived. They were inside the Meyer Center, getting ready for one of the most exciting days of the year.
Trunk-or-Treat!
Outside, an entire community waited to celebrate with them. You see, this wasn’t the parking lot’s first Halloween. It had seen many. It remembered witches and wizards. The superheroes and silly hats. Grown-ups who spent hours decorating their cars just to see the faces of the children light up.
Some years, the decorations were spooky. Other years, they were silly. The parking lot often wondered how anyone managed to fit so much Halloween magic into the back of a vehicle.
For years, friends from businesses throughout Greenville arrived with carloads of candy and decorations. However, the most important thing they brought was their time.
There were smiles and laughter. Little hands holding treat bags. Teachers and volunteers helping everyone join in the fun. Underneath it all, the parking lot watched another year of memories unfold. Of course, every celebration eventually came to an end. By the next morning, the parking lot looked like an ordinary parking lot again.
Painted lines.
Parked cars.
People coming and going.
But the parking lot knew better. It had a whole collection of Halloween memories tucked away. Every October, it got to add a few more.
Now, another October has arrived! The parking spaces are quiet. The painted lines are visible. The cars look like, well, ordinary cars. But not for long. Inside the Meyer Center, some very excited little people are counting down the days.
This Friday, October 30, the magic returns! If you happen to walk through the parking lot that morning, you might notice something. It seems just a little happier than usual. After all, it knows what’s coming. It’s seen this magic before.
And it can’t wait to see it again!
The End
This story is dedicated to the wonderful businesses, community partners, volunteers, and families who make Trunk-or-Treat possible year after year. Thank you for filling our parking lot with so much more than cars. Thank you for filling it with memories!