When entering anyone's basement, it can be frightening what youcan stumble upon. In addition to what, The Muncie Children'sMuseum's fall attraction, The Basement, asks WHO will you stumbleupon, as it relies heavily on volunteers to haunt its visitors.
The Basement started in 1997 as a fundraiser meant to utilizethe space beneath the museum, Amanda Davis, marketing coordinator,said. The annual haunted house is the largest fundraiser for themuseum, raising approximately $20,000-25,000, according toDavis.
This year, haunted house designer Gina Nicewonger decided toapply a theme, complete with a back story, to The Basement, that ofa haunted circus. Everyone in the circus dies and tries to figureout who is the murderer, Nicewonger said.
The Basement has few special effects -- to cut down costs -- butmakes up for it in design and story, said Nicewonger.
Each night, thirty volunteers thrill and chill visitors at thehaunted house, said Nicewonger.
Freshman Lauren Burton heard about the opportunity to volunteerthrough her elementary education program.
"We have to [complete] a required 50 volunteer hours and I havedone a haunted house in Huntington for the past four years," Burtonsaid.
Freshman Desiree Frederick had a different motive for joiningthe volunteer cast/crew.
"I actually only did it because [Burton] is my roommate and Ididn't want her coming down her by herself," Frederick said. "Idon't need the volunteer hours. I'm just a dedicated roommate."
Freshman Julie Bridgewater is also an elementary education majorsatisfying her requirement.
"I thought it would be a good way to interact with kids,"Bridgewater said. She said it is very different than hertraditional volunteer work at church and at Girls, Inc., a nationalnon-profit youth organization.
"I think it's cool that instead of dishing out food, they'rescaring people," Nicewonger said.
Others, such as Trisha Hicks, 17, are getting a head start forcollege by helping at The Basement. Trisha, a Central High Schoolstudent, volunteered two years ago and has returned to make a goodimpression on her application for Key Club.
"I like volunteer work, but this gives us a better chance tointeract with people. Instead of being so straight-laced, it's amore fun way to volunteer," Trisha said.
There are also a few alumni helping with the hauntedattraction.
Ball State graduate Rhonda Clevenger is the gift shop managerand educator for the museum. Clevenger has helped with The Basementsince its first incarnation in 1997.
"This is like my treat for working the rest of the year,"Clevenger said. "One of the biggest rushes for me is the grown men,the college frat guys [who come], and scaring the living daylightsout of them. When you get one of them to jump, then yousucceeded."
The Basement is not for small children, Nicewonger said.
"That is a common misunderstanding because it's at theChildren's Museum. It's geared toward junior high and older," shesaid.
Nearly nobody is off limits for surprises, as the volunteershave basic strategies.
"Anybody is fair game, as long they are not crying," saidBurton, who loves to "scare the crap out of people."
Frederick is the elevator operator, taking people down to thebasement and telling patrons the background story.
"I try to get them a little jittery," Frederick said.
Bridgewater waits until she sees people walking around corners,only to pop out into the faces of the unsuspecting victims, whileHicks sticks to the strategy of hiding and going aftereverybody.
In addition to volunteers, The Basement is driven by a wish listfor supplies. The Basement originally was built out of cardboardwalls and now is a large haunted house with permanent wood walls,Nicewonger said.
"We really felt the hurricane here," Nicewonger said, speakingabout the rising price of lumber. "I don't think it's possible[that] we could have the haunted house without the materials thatare donated."
Children are invited to a Monster Masquerade on Oct. 30 from 10a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tickets cost $15.00 for Museum members and$25.00 for non-members. Children are required to register for thisevent. Call the museum at 286-1660 for more details.
Admission for The Basement is $6.00 per person and will runevery Thursday through Saturday in October, and also Sunday,October 31, from 7:00 p.m. -- 11:00 p.m.
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