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All Saints Lunatic Asylum, Granite Hills students scaring up support for local Special Olympics athletes

Daily Press - 9/14/2018

Sept. 13--APPLE VALLEY -- The All Saints Lunatic Asylum will team up with the Granite Hills High School Cougars and Special Olympics athletes to create a "Fright Night" to remember next month.

The Asylum delivers a year-round professional haunted house experience from its creepy location in Apple Valley, but on Oct. 6 it will support Special Olympics Mojave River Valley by swinging opens its creaky doors and unleashing a special brand of horror.

"Fright Night" will include student-athlete volunteers and cheerleaders from nearby GHHS helping with the fall event scheduled at the "scariest place" in the High Desert, Special Olympics Area Director Melanie Dube-Price told the Daily Press.

"Our cheerleaders are the best, they're coming to help and to support my 16-year old daughter, Wyatt, who is also on the cheerleading team and has Down Syndrome," said Dube-Price who works as a counselor at Victor Valley College. "All the student volunteers enjoyed dressing up for a recent photo shoot, including Wyatt who dressed up like a scary clown."

"Fright Night" will include a tour of the haunted attraction, shaved ice, glow sticks, photos, food vendors and a chance for people to have a "safe and scary time," said Dube-Price, "This will be our second 'Fright Night' and we're looking forward to really growing this event for our kids."

Dube-Price praised the owners of the All Saints Lunatic Asylum for their generosity by allowing the Special Olympics to hold the event and for contributing the ticket proceeds to the group. She also thanked the student volunteers from GHHS who have "poured their hearts out" to support the Special Olympics over the years.

"Fright Night" is one of the many events that Dube-Price has scheduled for the year. The local Special Olympics chapter currently offers seasonal basketball, swimming, soccer and volleyball, but is looking to expand its offerings with more cheerleading and track and field events.

"I think the perspective that most people have is that all the Special Olympics events are conducted down the hill," Dube-Price said. "Because of that, most of the fundraising dollars and families end up going to Orange County and Los Angeles County."

Over the last few years, Dube-Price and her team have tried to get the word out to the special needs community that "we're here and they're welcome to join us."

Understanding the growth of the Hispanic community, Dube-Price said she also desires to reach out to Spanish-speaking families to invite them to participate in local Special Olympics activities.

"We have more athletes than volunteers," Dube-Price said. "We're not asking for a huge commitment, but even giving one day a week would be a huge help."

"Fright Night" is scheduled from 7 to 10 p.m. on Oct. 6 at All Saints Lunatic Asylum, 22521 Shawnee Road in Apple Valley. Tickets are $13 per person at the door.

For more information about the Special Olympics, contact Dube-Price at Mdubeprice@sosc.org, visit www.sosc.org/inlandempire or search "Special Olympics Southern California Mojave River Valley" on Facebook. For more information on the All Saints Lunatic Asylum, visit allsaintsasylum.com.

Reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227, RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com, Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.

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(c)2018 Daily Press, Victorville, Calif.

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