news-record.com

If you had the thrill of going through the Petrified Woods in the Summerfield Community Park, you’re lucky.

Hundreds of residents stood in line and braved the cold for hours to see the ghosts and goblins that adorned the woods of the park. What you may not have thought about, while you were being spooked, is the hard work and effort of the many volunteers that it takes to put on such and elaborate event.

The event is hosted by the Summerfield Youth Council. I’m inspired by the fact that this event is entirely volunteer-driven and free to the public. But the heart and soul of the haunted trail is the Williams family. For them it is truly a family affair.

The haunted trail originated in the home of Bob Williams, 75, and his wife, Shelia, who have been married for 49 years.

His daughters say it started as a haunted house when they were just kids as a way for Bob Williams to make up to his girls for missing Halloween and not being able to take them trick-or-treating, though Bob Williams doesn’t quite recall it that way.

The haunted house was such a big hit with the neighborhood kids that it grew some every year in size and scale and until finally they had to move it into the woods next to their home.

The Williams’ haunted woods got more and more visitors every year just by word of mouth.

Throughout the year, Williams would collect stuff for the haunted trail by doing things such as going to hospital auctions. At one point, the Williams family owned a real skeleton and hearse.

Eventually, there were so many visitors and they had collected so much stuff, they moved it downtown to South Elm, where it stayed for several years.
After 13 years, Williams donated his stuff for the haunted trail to a church that took it over for several years. But Williams didn’t like being out of the loop and after a few years, when the church tired of organizing such a grand-scale event, Williams stepped in three years ago to again take it over.
But this event doesn’t just stop with Williams. His wife is responsible for all the outstanding makeup worn by the actors.

His daughters, Kim Jackson, 46, and Lori Walker, 45, coordinate the entire event along with their dad, which is no easy task. They have to manage the months of planning and the logistics of the dozens of volunteers that make the Petrified Woods such a haunting success.

Then there are Williams’ two sons, Rob, 42, and Vince, 40. Vince is the electrical guru behind many of the spookier attractions on the trail. For months beforehand, he’s busy building floating spirits in mausoleums; animatronics; all sorts ghosts and goblins and even battery operated spooky eyes that glow in mysterious places. They refer to Rob as the go-to guy. A jack-of-all-trades who they call when anything needs to be fixed.

Of course, it wouldn’t truly be a family affair without the next generation of Williamses, who are all involved with SYC and the haunted trail. Vince’s two children — Brenna, 9, and Gage, 6 — Rob’s two — Paxton, 12, and Max, 7 — are actors on the trail.

Walker’s son, Reece, 18, is the president of SYC and is instrumental in the preparation and execution (no pun intended) of the trail. Her son Grey, 13, also is an active member of SYC. Jackson’s daughters — Parker, 19, Hunter, 15, and Krista, 10 — also are members of SYC and are actors on the trail. Parker, who held a position on the board of directors of SYC for many years, came home from college to help with the event.

While the Williams family is the backbone of the event, it wouldn’t happen at all if not for the generosity of the many volunteers that contribute both their time and money to make the event such a huge success.

Tim and Anne Nelson, “The Gatekeepers” at the haunted graveyard, graciously paid the fees to use the community center. The town of Summerfield helps defray the cost of food and beverages. Whitney Lee and her family coordinate all that goes on inside the community center including games, decorations, food and candy.

SYC and the Williams family do an outstanding job, and it doesn’t end with the Petrified Woods. The next event on tap is the Summerfield Annual Tree Lighting, tentatively scheduled for Nov. 21. The boxes were barely packed from the Petrified Woods when preparation began for the Tree Lighting.

When you come to the next event, be sure to thank all the many SYC volunteers and Williams family members that make it happen.
I’d personally like to thank all the volunteers and especially my husband, Chris; sons, Kyle and Jack; and my daughter, Molly, for giving up their Saturday night to brave the cold and participate in the Petrified Woods.

Nancy Duffy is a mother of two Stokesdale Elementary students and a Northwest High student.