No stress, no rules, no judgment. That is how Mentor-on-the-Lake Police Lt. Tina Messinger described the first Special Needs Trunk or Treat event held Oct. 13 and hosted by the department along with Heroes Helping Those with Special Needs. The widely spaced-out, sensory-friendly event which required registration and filled up fast was emphatic proof that Halloween doesn’t have to be all about scary images, loud screams, roars and evil laughs and bright special effects to be a good time. Especially for families with children who have sensory issues and special needs that make typical trick-or-treat activities difficult. The first Special Needs Trunk or Treat event was held Oct. 13 and hosted by Mentor-on-the-Lake Police and Heroes Helping Those with Special Needs. (Courtesy of Tina Messinger) Messinger, who has a special needs daughter, said the atmosphere was ideal for the families involved. “I can attest that it was very refreshing to see how well the event turned out,” Messinger said. “There was no stress, no rules, and no judgment. I know for a fact that the event held on Sunday allowed children of many ages to trick or treat at a function like this for the first time in their lives. Many events are not sensory-friendly and can be overwhelming for the special needs community.” Messinger said many families do not get to experience the joys of seeing their kids trick or treat just due to sensory issues associated with Halloween. The first Special Needs Trunk or Treat event was held Oct. 13 and hosted by Mentor-on-the-Lake Police and Heroes Helping Those with Special Needs. (Courtesy of Tina Messinger) Having a limited number of participants ensured that there would be plenty of space and not an overwhelming amount of people where the kids could enjoy the experience in a safe and special needs-friendly environment. And due to the high demand, a second event has been set for Oct. 20 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. to include more families. Registration is closed for that one. “Parents are already stating that they cannot wait to do this every year,” Messinger said. “Next week, for our second event due to high demand, we plan on seeing more first responders including the Lake County Sheriff’s Mounted Unit. Many of the kids got to go through the Trunk or Treat line twice and they also enjoyed the sensory trail set up around the perimeter of the park located behind city hall.” “I am a special needs parent myself with a 5-year-old daughter with autism,” Messinger added. “I know firsthand how difficult it can be to attend events of this kind not inclusive for those with special needs. They can be overwhelming and not sensory-friendly. This event required registration limiting the individuals that could participate.” The first Special Needs Trunk or Treat event was held Oct. 13 and hosted by Mentor-on-the-Lake Police and Heroes Helping Those with Special Needs. (Courtesy of Tina Messinger) Dispatchers Kristen Storey and Becca Lengyel enjoyed passing out candy and checking out all the costumes. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Kirtland Hills Police Department, Willowick Police Department, Lake County Metroparks, Mentor-on-the-Lake Fire Department, Mentor-on-the-Lake City Council, which took third place in the trunk contest, many businesses and individuals participated, donated, and contributed to making this a fun and inclusive event for local special needs families. Jenna Newman, president of the non-profit group Heroes Helping Those with Special Needs, said the while they hold family friendly special needs events through out the year, this was their first attempt at Trunk or Treat and it was an overwhelming success. “We are a 501c3 nonprofit organization in Mentor, our mission is to provide free autism and first responder training (focusing on severe autism) to fire and police,” Newman said. “In Ohio, we have trained over 3,500 first responders and we donate out sensory bags to fire and police departments locally and nationwide. My son ‘Firefighter’ Tommy, who is 13 and severely autistic and nonverbal, puts all the sensory bags together. We have donated out over 4,000 sensory bags.” The first Special Needs Trunk or Treat event was held Oct. 13 and hosted by Mentor-on-the-Lake Police and Heroes Helping Those with Special Needs. (Courtesy of Tina Messinger) The group also runs a special needs safety program with Fireman Mark Leisure held at parks or Lake Erie College. They also have a Super Siblings Program, Special Needs Teen Meet Up and Parent support group. These events are only open to families that have individuals with autism, other disabilities or special needs. “We keep our events at a low attendance that is why families have to register …. This helps those enjoy a quiet stress-free and judgment free event,” Newman said. “Due to the high demand of families wanting to attend our Special Needs Trunk or Treat we had to make a second date. The first one had around 100 individuals attend. The second… has around 150 individuals attending.”