Time magazine's edition for kids enchanted by Samaritan Center's Halloween efforts

Jennifer Crutchfield, 10 , shyly answered "yes" and "no" to questions via telephone from a Time Magazine for Kids reporter this week.

Her mother, Renessa Wolfe, sat beside her encouraging her to describe her ghoul costume she had received from the Samaritan Center's Halloween costume closet.

Center volunteer executive director Marylyn DeFeo was nearby, grinning proudly for the opportunity this hard-working family had to be in the weekly periodical distributed to schools.

But more than that, DeFeo was thankful for the community generosity that filled the costume closet at the Jefferson City center with more than 100 costumes and drew the magazine's attention.

"This is a good program, so kids can have fun and enjoy with their friends and family," Wolfe said. "It helps save money for the family too.

"I lost my job two weeks ago (after five years)," Wolfe said. "So this will really help out."

Costumes and candy were collected during September from individuals and school classes. Oct. 18 more than 100 children will walk out of the center with the items sure to help them enjoy the school parties and trick-or-treating events with their peers.

The center has collected costumes for about a decade, but this year they have experienced a dramatic increase in donations, DeFeo said.

"I remember Crutchfield picking out a hamburger one year," from just a few donated costumes, DeFeo said. This year, "she's the cutest ghoul I ever saw with dimples.

"Halloween is a neat, overlooked holiday," DeFeo said. "Kids want to look as nifty as everyone else."

Wolfe agreed to the Time interview because "the Samaritan Center has come through for us in a time of need," Wolfe said. "So I told Marylyn we'd be more than willing to help out when we could."

Afterward, Crutchfield and her sister, Lucinda Crutchfield, a seventh-grade student council member at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, helped Wolfe select a pink rocker costume for their youngest sister, Destiny Cummings, 7.

Wolfe and her five daughters typically trick-or-treat in the Westview Heights area on Halloween and then spend the evening with friends sampling their new candy, Lucinda said.

"We look forward to doing this together as a family," Lucinda added.

mreagan@newstribune.com

Jennifer Crutchfield picks out a Halloween costume for her younger sister, Destiny, from the Samaritan Center's collection of donated costumes. (Stephen Brooks/News Tribune photo)