A real treat
By: Jay Clark 12/01/2014
On October 31,
University of Minnesota tutors and volunteers took a group of 25 Northside
Hmong refugee youth out trick-or-treating.
The tradition of taking
Hmong refugee kids out trick-or-treating started in 2005. A group of Hmong
refugees had just arrived in the U.S from the Wat Tham Krabok refugee camp. One
day they reported hearing the strangest story: that one day out of the year, they
could walk up to someone’s house, mumble some noises, and the person would
throw candy at them.
These Hmong refugee
students said that, of course, they were way too sophisticated to believe such
a ridiculous story. We told them it was true, and took them out for their first
Halloween trick-or-treat in their lives. Every year since then volunteers have
taken Hmong refugee students out for trick-or-treat.
This year, 25 refugee
youth put on face paint in the basement of St. Olaf Church, and then they went
out trick-or-treating. A highlight was the warm greetings and candy they got
from former council member and now school board member-elect Don Samuels. After
their visit, the Hmong trick-or-treaters unanimously announced they planned to
vote for Don Samuels – in 10 years.
Finally they headed out
to the Plymouth home of the University of Minnesota’s Jeff Corn, and visited
his neighbors. By the end of the night the bags of candy were bigger than some
of the trick-or-treaters.
Most of the Hmong
refugee trick-or-treaters play soccer for Farview Park. This year they got two
chances to celebrate Halloween. The week
before, the Sanneh foundation came to Farview Park and held a combination
Halloween party and soccer clinic. Twenty-five soccer players participated.
There was a contest for
the best costume/face paint, and the Sanneh foundation gave out goodies to all
the participants. Thanks to all who helped.