Hundreds of trick-or-treaters in Winkler found a place to warm up thanks to Pathway Community Church this evening.

Pastor Rob Haslam explains they chose two popular trick-or-treating locations to hand out free hot chocolate and connect with people on Halloween night.

It was a chilly, drizzly Halloween night as hundreds of trick-or-treaters headed for Durum Cres.

"Because with there being so many people in the community going out and having an excellent time together, the Church should be represented there," Haslam explains. "We're going to be where the people are."

The "Pathway Warm-Up" stations were located on the city's busiest trick-or-treating street, Durum Crescent (which can see up to 500 kids a night depending on weather), as well as Bonneville Crescent on the South end of town. The stations are also beacons for kids, Haslam explains, creating a safe space to retreat if lost or unable to find a parent.

The fourth year organizing the outreach, he says they continue to hear positive feedback from the community.

"There's a lot of people talking about it," he says. "They appreciate that there is a church... that is represented in some fashion out there."

While many churches organize children's carnivals as an alternative experience to trick-or-treating, Haslam says they wanted to serve the community in a different way.

"If that's already happening we don't want to do anything in competition to that (children's carnivals) so let's just go where we know there's going to be a lot of people," he says. "It's another way were able to express the love of Jesus."

 

Residents can expect up to 400 trick-or-treaters in some areas of the city