“I’ve never grown up. I still like to dress up and play. I’ll never get old,” says Jolene Millette, peaking out through the black eyeholes of her white ghost costume. Millette placed second in the costume contest at the 4th annual Halloween party Monday noon at the Santa Clara Senior Center, 1303 Fremont Street. Barbara Shaw, dressed in serious bicycle gear, came in fourth place then biked home.
Not content just to stay home and pass out candy on Halloween, 13 dressed-to-kill (or at least dressed-to-haunt) seniors paraded around the auditorium looking their spookiest. Parks Supervisor Jay Selig—acting as Judge Judy—and Recreation Superintendent Marilyn Dippell picked the costume contest winners.
First place winner was the scariest, wickedest-looking witch this side of the Land of Oz, a green-faced Julieta Wood. Wood loves witches so much that she makes witch dolls out of lobster claws. Could this be the ultimate in recycling for Red Lobster restaurants?
“Halloween is my favorite holiday, and my whole house is decorated inside and outside. About 100 kids came through last year,” says Wood. “I gave out toys, not candy.”
Laureen Dickerson as Princess Dracula, gowned in red and black, came in third place. You could almost see blood dripping from her fangs, and a gigantic black widow spider adorned her right ring finger.
“I love to scare the kids,” says Dickerson. “Halloween is the only holiday I celebrate. My brother died at 16, and Halloween was his birthday.”
After the costume contest, about 30 seniors viewed “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” and had pumpkin pie with whipped cream. All the prizes and treats for the party were donated.
“Seniors come to participate in the nutritious lunch program and socialize,” says Carolyn McAllister, dressed in red, white, and blue as Uncle Sam, complete with a white mustache and beard. The part-time senior center worker initiated the annual Halloween party and costume contest and organizes it every year.
“It’s something fun, and I like having fun,” Uncle Sam says. Who knew he was such a party gal?