Technically, Halloween is over by the time the clock strikes 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 31, but that did not stop PIRO from continuing the celebrations throughout the month of November.
Hurricane Sandy actually extended PRIO’s events; what was once called “Paranormal Awareness Week” has turned into “Paranormal Awareness Month.”
On Saturday, Nov. 9, PIRO held their annual Harvest Party in the Bartels Programming Space. It was a night filled with food (including an abundance of desserts), fall festivities and Halloween games and prizes.
The first contest was a scarecrow-themed scavenger hunt in which students assembled in groups of three and ran around campus searching for clues to UNH-related riddles. One such riddle read, “Enter this building and go down one floor; you’ll hear music all around”. The answer to this clue was, of course, the bottom of Dodds Hall. Participants would then find their next clue there. With each clue, they would run back to base and add a new piece to their scarecrow.
The first place team was made up of Patti McKernan, Catherine Gentile and Emilia Carlo, who each received gift cards.
After running around campus, a donut-eating contest followed. Donuts-on-a-String was the most popular event of the night, and an extra box had to be purchased because so many people signed up. Participants were either very competitive, or took their time eating the free donuts.
The fastest donut-eaters were Ryan Todd, Kristen March and Brynn Kalstrom. Their prizes were little, knit knick-knacks made by the Jedi Knitters Club, which included ghosts, pumpkins, spiders and black cats.
The last contest was a mummy wrap in which everyone had a partner, and one person would fully cover the other’s body using two complete rolls of toilet paper. The winning techniques seemed to be draping the person vertically in paper as opposed to wrapping it around their bodies. Neatness was a low priority.
First place winners were Patti McKernan and Emilia Carlo, second were Ashley Castorena and Ryan Todd, and third place went to McKinley Dorrico and Catherine Gentile who also all won knit prizes. The Jazzman’s area was unrecognizable after the mummies broke out of their wrappings.
In between these contests, there were also tarot card and rune readings done by PIRO members; these were very popular (and sufficiently accurate). If students missed these readings, PIRO recommends attending their Divination Fair in the Alumni Lounge on Nov. 15, at 7 p.m.
All who came out, both members of PIRO and those who are terrified of ghosts, had a great time. Freshman Ashley Castorena enthusiastically remarked, “It was awesome! I had a super blast hanging out with the other members and E-Board. I really got to know everyone better! So happy I got to be a part of this club.”
