ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Never mind that this baseball field, bathed in the glow of a late October sun, was not the setting for a playoff game on Thursday in Allentown. At Coca-Cola Park, there were more important events underway.
Halloween was in full swing as volunteers doled out candy from tables and tents, some decorated with elaborate themes, as young princesses, pirates and Spidermen dashed excitedly among them.
- IronPigs Charities held its annual Suites N Treats event at Coca-Cola Park on Thursday
- The event welcomed more than 800 kids from more than two dozen local non-profits
- Suites N Treats is designed to create a safe and inclusive environment for all children
More than 800 children roamed the concourse during the annual IronPigs Charities Suites N Treats event, which General Manager Kurt Landes called his “favorite event of the year.”
“This event allows a safe environment, and a very accessible environment for the kids and families to come and really enjoy this event,” Landes said. “We’re not up in the suites this year, but it’s really very inclusive with the open concourse and the elevators available, and at the end of the day it’s all about the smiles on the faces of these kids."
Dozens of area businesses and vendors handed out candy, including Air Products, Crayola, B. Braun, Fulton Bank and Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital.
“I think our favorite thing is that it gives us a chance to connect to some of the kids that we end up actually seeing on a daily basis at work, but in a fun, safe and happy way,” said Megan Wirth, who helps to manage patient care at Reilly. “All that we do is try to make things better for the kids, so what better way than to come out and celebrate that.”
“All that we do is try to make things better for the kids, so what better way than to come out and celebrate that.”Megan Wirth, Lehigh Valley Reilly Children's Hospital
Beverly Bradley, President of Cops 'n' Kids of the Lehigh Valley, had plenty of help from the Moravian University softball team handing out 1,600 books under a safari-themed tent with a "Wild About Reading" theme.
"I asked for 5 volunteers and I got 25!" Bradley said. "It's just so wonderful to be part of."
In center field, Renee Wiggins-Rollerson handed out treats from Youth & Teen Renovations, an organization that works with at-risk youth and teens in the Lehigh Valley, predominately in Allentown.
“We provide services such as education services, life skills services, recreational services and things of that nature,” said Wiggins-Rollerson. “The goal is to renovate the mind, body and soul, so that’s why we named it Renovations.”
Invitations for Suites N Treats are sent out in late summer to local nonprofit organizations that serve economically disadvantaged youth and children with disabilities and health concerns throughout the Lehigh Valley.
Shakira Virgo, a paraprofessional in the Allentown School District, walked the concourse with five kids enjoying the festivities.
“I work with autistic kids in kindergarten,” Virgo said. “It’s our first time here … and it’s just wonderful to see all of these kids enjoying the candy, games and activities.”
Karen Shoemaker, CEO of The Arc of Lehigh and Northampton Counties, echoed those sentiments.
“It’s our first year here, and this is just huge,” Shoemaker said. “It’s a safe place to come out and, for these kids, still be able to have that traditional trick or treat experience. It’s just the perfect venue for something like this.”
Landes said IronPigs Charities remains focused on supporting educational and recreational opportunities for Lehigh Valley youth, focusing on diversity and inclusion.
“It really is the foundation of our commitment to the Lehigh Valley community,” Landes said. "To be able to do events like this...for these kids and their families, this is special."
