Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Monday, October 27, 2003
Characters come alive at Hixon Enchanted Forest
 Scarecrow Vanja Milasinovic gets ready to hand out candy as Alexis Puyleart , and her mom Shari trick-or -treat in Hixon's enchanted forest . Dick Riniker photo |
For the past few years, Donna Anderson and John Hibshman of Onalaska, Wis., have brought their family to Hixon's Enchanted Forest.
Together with their children, Matt, 7, Maddie, 10, and Keaton, 5, they would travel along the enchanted path visiting with and receiving treats from well-known characters along the way.
This year, they decided to make a change.
"We thought we would do something different and have a station this year," Anderson said.
With Honeydukes, a candy shop of Harry Potter fame, open for business and their wizard gear on, the family was ready to greet the more than 300 children trick-or-treating Sunday in the forest.
"Going through is fun," Maddie said, "but I think giving out candy is fun, too."
Matt said he is used to handing out candy.
"I usually first go out (trick-or-treating) and get candy, then come home and hand-out candy," he said.
A Tootsie Roll-eating giraffe, also known as Alea Fortier, 3, of Bangor, Wis., and her mother, Jaime, kept busy while walking through the forest identifying the characters.
"Do you know who that is?," Jaime asked Alea as they moved closer to the woman standing near the path.
"Pocahontas," exclaimed Alea as she went closer to claim her treat.
"This has been really fun," Jaime said. "She really knows a lot of the characters."
Pocahontas, also known as Thiney Vang, 20, was having as much fun as the children who came through.
"I'm having a very good day," said Vang, a student at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. "I feel like a little kid again."
The best part of the Enchanted Forest for Kathryn Boldon, 4, of La Crosse, was being able to see Tweety Bird and Cinderella, two of her favorite characters.
She said in order to receive a treat when trick-or-treating, you have to remember to say "Happy Halloween" or "Trick-or-Treat."
But most important, she said, is to remember to say, "thank you."
Autumn Grooms can be reached at (608) 782-9710, ext. 357, or agrooms@lacrossetribune.com.
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