JKPL partners with Best Sunshine for Trunk or Treat

The Joeten-Kiyu Public Library, in partnership with Best Sunshine International Ltd., will be hosting the fourth edition of its annual Halloween Trunk-or-Treat celebration on Oct. 31.

According to JKPL outreach coordinator Celina Foreman, all interested public and private organizations are invited to decorate their vehicles’ trunks with a Halloween theme of their choice. A cash prize of $100 for the best decorated car trunk will be given away.

The Joeten-Kiyu Public Library is looking for sponsors for its Trunk or Treat event for Halloween. Best Sunshine International, Ltd. was the first to donate. Photo shows Best Sunshine chief operating officer Matt Harkness presenting a $2,500 donation for the project. (Frauleine S. Villanueva)

Foreman, along with technical services librarian Rosalyn Ajoste and acting library director Erlinda Naputi, said they were unsure whether to push through or cancel Trunk or Treat this year after Typhoon Soudelor’s destruction on island but they decided in the end to do it for the sake of the children.

“It’s been two months since the typhoon and we wanted to do something to boost the morale of the island,” Ajoste said.

“We want the kids to have something to look forward to. They’ve been through a lot with the typhoon and we know a lot of them are still suffering,” Naputi said.

JKPL is inviting associations, businesses, or offices to partner with them to make the event even bigger this year.

Best Sunshine was among the first to sponsor the project, donating $2,500.

“The library is obviously an important part of the community for students as well as adults. We see this is a terrific opportunity to continue what we see as a process of helping this community regrow, rebuild,” said Best Sunshine chief operating officer Matt Harkness.

He said the donation is part of their continuing commitment to the community as the island continues to rebuild.

“We’ll help rebuild this island as a team,” Harkness said.

Foreman said they are very grateful to Best Sunshine for the donation and that it will be used to purchase candies for the event.

The Trunk or Treat concept was initially thought up as a way for children to go trick or treating in a safe manner. Instead of having children going from house to house and walking on roads, they are brought to a single place where different candy givers converge—usually with their car’s trunks decorated with a Halloween theme—to give away treats and candies. This way, children just go from one car to another for their trick or treats.