Shreek-Reeka Brings Frightful Crowd

By CHERYL JENSEN

The Progress

The annual Shreek-Reeka Spooktacular, a fun night for kids to dress up and earn their treats, was held in the parking lot of the Eureka Casino on Thursday night, Oct. 26. In its tenth year, the event offered a great time for young and old alike.

Event organizer Gerrri Chasko, who works as Director of the Eureka Community Initiative, said that there were about 2,000 people who attended this year’s Shreek-Reeka.
“It was like a Halloween carnival ought to be: all just a blur,” Chasko said. “It was great!”

Tables were set up by non-profit organizations and a few businesses in Mesquite and were manned by volunteers who showed off their themed costumes. Each booth had a carnival game or some other activity. The kids competed to earn candy treats.

“I am always amazed at the support that we get every year from the non-profits in the community,” Chasko said. “It is always such a great team effort between the community and Eureka employees!”
There was plenty for everyone to do. The “Army of the Dead,” a Salvation Army booth, had a large tic tac toe game.

The Brain Exchange Club had corn hole, pumpkin head and black cat bean bag toss for attendees to enjoy.
Primex Plastics employees were dressed like Minions and had a Lego building station.
“Up and Away,” booth of the Rotary Club of Mesquite, had a jolly pirate helping the kids “fish” for prizes amid the bubbles floating around.

A ball toss was held by the Marvelous Resourceful Witches of the Mesquite Republican Women club.
The women of the Womens History and Culture Center were very creative in their costumes that resembled “candy corn” and they provided a very popular bucket toss game that the older kids enjoyed.
“Shiver Me Timbers” of the Mesquite Police Dept. had a treasure chest filled with gold. They also had a treasure map bean bag toss, which also doubled as a juggling demonstration by some young kids.

The Mesquite Community Theatre group had “Petrified Pumpkin Patch” with glowing pumpkins. Members of the board of directors donned costumes from various plays they have presented – bangles and beads and hats caught your eye.

The Sunrise Rotary Foundation had an “Eye Ball Alley” and the Little Giants Brain Exchange (Mesquite Lutheran Children and Preschool) gave out yummy treats.

The Little Sprouts had a witch hat candy toss. Kids could get their picture taken in their costumes by yellowpix.com on a green screen and then choose a background.

Wild shrieks and hissing steam, followed by loud popping, was heard as the kids made their way through the haunted houses designed and built by Eureka employees. Some adventurous young people said they got scared when people in costumes popped out and gave them a scare – especially when the frightening clown popped out of the dark!

For the younger children, ladies in mermaid outfits led the children through an undersea house.
The Mesquite Toes performed on an outdoor stage for the crowd. They donned “magic hats” which, when placed on one’s head, made you begin to dance and earn a treat. The Toes, dressed in the white jumpsuits performed a dance to “Ghostbusters” that entertained the audience.

The boys and girls of the Virgin Valley Youth Players, performed several song and dance numbers for the crowd from the stage.
“Both groups were so cute in their performances,” Chasko said. “This is the first time that we have had groups performing on the stage and it was wonderful!”

The White Boy’s Taco food truck served a variety of appetizing tacos throughout the evening.