This year Ilwaco City Hall received more donated candy than in any prior year and it helped make happy memories for a lot of costumed kids.

I think the operative word is “eagerness.” So many eager people delivered so many bags of candy. So many Ilwaco homeowners were eager to serve as distributors of said candy. That’s no small thing, either. Many of the houses on Ilwaco’s main drag were decorated beautifully to instill a sense of magic to their quaint little town. But the neighbors caught up in the annual invasion of little goblins probably have to pretend to be eager, sometimes, to welcome such a hoard of young humanity, back to back, for hours on end. It was for those residents who deserve supply to deal with the incredible demand that Ilwaco’s annual candy drive became a “thing.”

It is a “win/win” too, because most peninsula residents are eager to see our local kids enjoying a traditional Halloween experience, like they once enjoyed, and remember so very fondly. In Ilwaco the houses are close together with street lights and sidewalks in between. Ilwaco Fire Hall is a feature “haunted respite” in the midst of the Norman Rockwell festivities.

I was eager to write this letter to thank and congratulate everyone who was eager (or pretended to be eager because kindness is in their DNA) to help create those happy memories. Bravo!

TERRI STAPLES

Ocean Park