Old Lantern Readies for Monster Bash
by Rowan Beck, October 20, 2011.....

The second annual Monster Bash will be held October 28 at the Old Lantern. All proceeds from this ghoulishly elegant event go to the Mahana Magic Foundation, a foundation supporting children whose parents have cancer. Last year the event raised enough money to hire a Child Life Specialist affiliated with the Cancer Patient Support Program. This year, foundation chair Cliff Deetjen hopes that with the generous support of people and businesses of the community, the foundation can offer more programs and care to children. “We have been so appreciative of the amazing interest in the foundation and the continued support this foundation has received already. So many loved ones and acquaintances are touched by cancer and it feels special to help the kids of those families with all the support we can give.”
The Monster Bash is the foundation’s signature event. The Old Lantern is the ideal setting for this one-of-a-kind adult Halloween party. Last year more than 300 costume-clad partygoers wandered through a Haunted House before entering the actual party. Monica Marshall, who creates the Haunted House, promises it will be just as scary this year; she has been working on the theme for months. To allow guests more room inside the Old Lantern, she has moved the Haunted House almost entirely outside. For those faint of heart there is always a choice; not all guests need to go through the haunted house before entering the party. Lisa Gaujac, owner of the Old Lantern, “is amazed at the transformation that takes place of the interior. It is such a fun party.” She kindly makes the space available at no charge for the night.
The Mahana Magic Foundation, founded by the late Greg Couture, is a non-profit organization whose mission is to offer support to a child who is dealing with the fear and uncertainty of having a parent with cancer. Through a Child Life Specialist (CLS), Ropes Courses and art therapy, Mahana Magic hopes to comfort and empower children by giving them a sense of peace and control. A Child Life Specialist is a professional who assists children in learning lifelong coping skills in processing emotional challenges. Ropes courses build self-confidence and team building in an adventurous way. It can help those who don’t intrinsically have a voice find it and open a child’s eyes to the level of support from other people. Through art therapy, children are given a creative outlet to process their feelings through any medium.
Last year the Monster Bash sold out within days of the event. Two hundred guests have already registered for the event with two weeks to go. According to Mike Boardman, “we are anticipating more than 400 people this year. People from last years event are still commenting on how much fun they had.” They expect guests will have even more fun this year while supporting a great cause. Tickets for the event, which can be purchased online, are $55 and going fast. For more information on the Monster Bash or the Mahana Magic Foundation see their website at mahanamagic.org.