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Most local elementary schools host Halloween parties, but did you know you can also dress in costume for Liberty Lake Municipal Library’s annual party? This year’s bash will be 5:30 to 7:30 on Oct. 28.

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In the October Wave: Liberty Lake harvest options for kids
9/25/2013 1:48:02 PM

The Wave is a special section just for kids, 
geared toward children in kindergarten through fifth grade


Liberty Lake harvest options for kids 

By Brenna Holland
Wave Contributor

Leaves are falling, school is in session, and the air is crisp-fall is here! This festive month provides kids with opportunities for entertainment as well as giving back to the community. Here are just three autumn activities that will make you thankful for Octobers in Liberty Lake. 

Conquer the corn maze
HUB Sports Center is taking on a classic fall event to provide a positive safe event for the youth of the community. 

The HUB's corn maze, which opened in September at 19619 E. Cataldo, spans over 10 acres and will be open weekends through the end of the October. The scheduled times for October are 5 to 10 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays; and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.

Students who embark on a quest to enter the labyrinths learn map skills, teamwork, problem solving and logic all while having fun in a sports-themed maze.

"There's an educational benefit for the kids using their abilities to negotiate and master a maze," HUB Executive Director Phil Champlain said. "There is the challenge of getting in, making choices and ultimately being successful in getting out. It's just good, clean, wholesome fun." 

Admission for kids ages 5 to 12 is $6 (adults are $9). All proceeds support HUB 360, an afterschool program that gives children access to athletic, academic and community activities to broaden their horizons. 

A haunted Trail of Fear will also be offered starting Oct. 5 for just $1 more per ticket, but it is not recommended for young children. 

For more information, contact the HUB at 927-0602.
 
 
Wave file photo

Party at the library
Little ghosts and goblins are invited to the library's annual Halloween party for a night of carnival games, crafts and family fun. 

The party will take place 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at Liberty Lake Municipal Library, 23123 E. Mission. Parking, which is sometimes an issue, is available in the lot across Madson Street, Library Director Pamela Mogen said. 

Described as a tradition the library has been doing almost since its doors opened, Mogen said the event is a way to celebrate community spirit.

"It's a safe place for children to gather around Halloween," she said. "Plus it's good for children to see the library is more than books. It's a fun place to use their imagination."

The event is free, and kids are encouraged to come in costume. Friends of the Library will be taking photos for $2 that kids can decorate a frame for.

For more information, contact the library at 232-2510.


Submitted photo
KiDDS Dental in Liberty Lake is offering their 6th annual Great Candy Buy Back 4 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 1. Unopened candy can be turned over for $1 per pound. Candy and cards will be passed on to military members through Operation Gratitude.

Give candy to troops
After a Halloween full of sweets and surprises, there is always extra candy around the house. Instead of eating all your leftover treats, why not donate some to a wonderful cause?

KiDDS Dental collects candy for Operation Gratitude, an organization that sends care packages to those in the U.S. military. The dentist office pays a dollar for each pound of unopened candy from children who are accompanied by a parent.

This year's Buy Back will take place Nov. 1 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the KiDDS Dental office, 1327 N. Stanford, suite B. There will be family-friendly entertainment as well as a card-making table for troops sponsored by Dr. Scott Ralph, Orthodontist. Children attending the event will also receive a goody bag with a toothbrush, coupons and other trinkets. 

The first Candy Buy Back in Liberty Lake was held in 2008, and KiDDS Dental has been running with it ever since.  

"Dr. Jared heard about offices doing it in other parts of the country," Brandi Evans, wife of Dr. Evans, said. "We scrambled to host one ourselves in just a couple weeks. Ever since then it has grown." 

All candy and cards collected at the event will be shipped to Operation Gratitude, who packages and delivers them to troops overseas for the holidays. In addition to candy, KiDDS Dental also supplies the charity with toothbrushes, toothpaste and dental floss.

To learn about other needed items that can be donated to Operation Gratitude, go to www.OpGrat.org. 

Tammy Kimberley contributed to this story. 

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Preparing the perfect pumpkin

Compiled by Brenna Holland
Wave contributor

Have you ever wondered how to create a magnificent jack-o'-lantern? If so, read on for some tips for safely selecting, carving and lighting your pumpkin masterpiece.

1) Select a pumpkin. Look for ones that have smooth skins, are ripe and are not dented. Try to pick a pumpkin that has a two-inch stem and is around nine inches tall.

2) Decide on a design. What do you want your pumpkin to look like? Scary? Goofy? Pretty? Classic? Whatever you decide, make sure it fits to the size of pumpkin you picked from the patch. Sketch your pattern with a pencil on a piece of paper using a stencil, a template or just free hand. 

3) Cut out the top. Draw a circle or hexagon at least five inches in diameter around the stem of the pumpkin. With an adult's help, cut out a lid using a pumpkin saw or other carving tool. Do so at an angle so that the outside edge is larger than the inside, which keeps the lid from slipping inside the pumpkin once it is hollowed. If your pumpkin does not have a flat bottom, consider cutting out the bottom instead. 

4) Clean out the insides. Once the pumpkin lid has been sawed off, use a metal spoon or ice cream scooper to remove the inside pulp and seeds. Flatten the bottom of the pumpkin so that a candle or light can eventually be placed to illuminate your designs. If you want a tasty treat, save the pumpkin seeds. Wash them, dry them and then place on a baking sheet. Ask an adult to help drizzle with olive oil and salt, and bake at 400 degrees for 5 to 20 minutes. 

5) Start carving. Transfer your pattern to the pumpkin by taping your designed paper to the pumpkin and then poking holes through the pattern with a nail or plastic tool. After that is completed, take a knife (with an adult's help) and start carving at the center of your design and work outward. Begin with the smaller details, and be gentle when sawing out patterns. 

6) Light it up! Place a candle (votives work best) or an electronic light inside your pumpkin. Turn off the lights and admire your work! Just be sure to blow out the candle before you head to bed.


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Did you know?

• The word pumpkin came from the Greek word "pepon" meaning "large melon."

• Besides the classic color of orange, pumpkins can come in colors of red, yellow, white or green. 

• The tradition of carving a pumpkin and lighting it with candles, often referred to as a "jack-o'-lantern," is believed to have come from Ireland. The Irish used to carve faces into turnips, beets and other root vegetables as part of the Gaelic festival of Samhain. 

• Pumpkins are a fruit, but they are often referred to as a vegetable since they can be baked, roasted, steamed or boiled. 

• Every year over 1 billion pounds of pumpkins are produced in the United States. 

• The sweet dessert of pumpkin pie was invented in North America and is traditionally eaten during holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

• In 2010, the world record size for a pumpkin was 1,810 pounds!

Source: www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/food/pumpkins.html

Apps for the season
Have a howlin' good time checking out these popular Halloween apps made just for kids! (Just be sure to get permission from your parents before downloading on your device.)

iLuv Drawing Monsters
Mask Jumble Halloween
Millie's Book of Tricks and Treats
MotionMaze Trick or Treat
Peekaboo Trick or Treat with Ed Emberley
3-in-1 Halloween educational games

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