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A few West Manchester Township moms are personifying a snappy dialogue shared during a Halloween classic.
In "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," Linus asked Charlie Brown if he's ever heard about the fury of a woman scorned. After Charlie Brown said yes, Linus said, "Well, that's nothing compared to the fury of a woman who has been cheated out of tricks-or-treats."
Upon learning West Manchester Township canceled the community's trick-or-treat scheduled for Wednesday evening, residents Chrissy Schultz Sparks and Tania Zech decided their families wouldn't be cheated out of tricks or treats.
"You could say we're boycotting the township's decision," said Schultz Sparks, who has three children ages 9, 5 and 4 months.
Township officials announced on the website and outgoing voicemail at the administrative office that trick-or-treat was canceled due to the impact of the storm and cleanup efforts that may be involved.
The reasons: "We decided to cancel it out of concern for public safety," said Kelly Kelch, township manager.
Though some neighborhoods in West Manchester might be safe, several roads are closed throughout the township, he said.
Those closures and other effects of Hurricane Sandy have diverted police officers and first responders to cleanup scenes. No police officers are available for trick-or-treat patrols that are typically conducted every year, Kelch said.
"We know the kids look forward to it every year and encourage residents to have their own safe parties," he said. "We just don't have the personnel to support a trick-or-treat township-wide."
Parents' efforts: Schultz Sparks and Zech spent Tuesday designing, printing and distributing fliers throughout the neighborhood where they reside. The fliers encourage neighbors to save Halloween and participate in trick-or-treat from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday as originally scheduled.
More than 100 children live in their Lexington Meadows subdivision, and the women said they're using the week's events as a teachable moment.
"We want to show them you can have something good come from something bad," said Zech, mother of a 6-year-old.
Schultz Sparks, who grew up in Florida and has lived through her share of hurricanes, said she's not downplaying this week's storm or letting it steal happiness.
"We can teach kids not to let it get us down. Growing up with hurricanes, I learned whatever happens you just push through it," she said.
The trick-or-treat they are planning is designed as a safe event, the organizers said.
"Our kids aren't going to be out there alone. We don't want anything to be unsafe for the kids. We wouldn't be pushing it if we felt it was unsafe," Zech said.
For an updated list of trick-or-treat times around York County, click here.
- Candy Woodall can also be reached at cwoodall@yorkdispatch.com.
