An unconventional Halloween
Rachel Tyler, 18, shows a smile in her face-painted masterpiece she plans to wear while working at Real Life Ministries' Harvest Festival event this weekend. (MADISON HARDY/Press)
Danyelle Yerian, 41, and Zion take a stroll around the park on Halloween eve, after Coeur d'Alene sees a break in the rain. (MADISON HARDY/Press)
Grayson Hayes, 30, Sean Miller, 28, and Tessa Miller, 23, sit on the bench while discussing Halloween plans including live music and getting together with friends. From left: Grayson Hayes, Sean Miller, Tessa Miller. (MADISON HARDY/Press)
Halloween this year is anything but conventional as traditional community events have switched to socially distanced activities like drive-through trick or treating. Despite this, residents are still finding COVID-sensitive ways to be safe.
"Since COVID and all that put a damper on most people's plans, we are going to go over to our neighbor's house for a live performance by their band, so we are going to hang out in their living room while they play music for us," Sean Miller said.
His buddy Grayson Hayes is also thinking about catching Original Audio's set.
Their friends aren't too worried about COVID, they said. Some are more cautious than others but mostly those who have health conditions or know people vulnerable to the virus.
"I only have one friend that won't go out to the bars," Hayes said.
Certified medical assistant Danyelle Yerian is opting for lower-risk Halloween plans this year. She works for Heritage Health, regularly going into assisted-living facilities to help patients who are more vulnerable to the virus. Typically, she's hopping around to parties with friends, but this year she is hitting the couch and relaxing.
"This year with COVID, we are trying to play it safe," Yerian said. "I think everyone is feeling weird about the holidays, having to quarantine, then getting out, now we are getting back into it."
Costumes are also not in Rachel Tyler's plans, but face paint certainly is. She's in Coeur d'Alene from Athol, helping Real Life Ministries with its Harvest Festival. It's one of many outreach events Tyler volunteers at with the church. This one is mainly for little kids, which explains the galaxy-inspired face paint.
"I personally don't really participate in Halloween, something to do with the spiritual aspect of it," she said. "But I like the costumes, and I love people."
Contrary to the status quo, the Gustafson family aren't celebrating Halloween, in fact, they never have.
"We have never celebrated actually," Erica Gustafson said. "We just do family pizza and movie night. My husband and I never celebrated as a child, so it wasn't something we got into with our kids."
