2004 Year in Review

Kid's can enjoy Arnie's Spookhouse

It takes a bit of creative thinking to link an October spookhouse with fireworks in July! That is what occurred, when Arnie and Jan Drolema chose to donate all the proceeds from "Arnie's Spookhouse" to the Morrison Sesquicentennial fireworks fund. Children have attended Drolema's not-too-spooky Halloween houses for a dozen years.

Youngsters can enter the new, inflatable spookhouse from 1:00 to 3:30 on Saturday, October 30. Inside they also will find "Jan's Pumpkin Patch," glowing with the aid of black lights. The Halloween parade begins at 1:30 and ends at the Post Office, so it will be easy to walk across the street to "Arnie's Spookhouse" and, for older folks, "The Asylum of Mad Dreams" on S. Orange Street.

Since they created the children's attraction in the early 1990's, the Drolemas have donated all proceeds from "Arnie's Spookhouses" to local organizations: Food Pantry, Odell Public Library, D.A.R.E., Morrison Historical Society, and the Veterans' Memorial. Next summer, their generosity will help light up the sky on July 10 as the Sesquicentennial celebration comes to a close.

Such holiday fun has long been a family affair. Drolema's mother, Gen, was born on Halloween. She often dressed as a witch when her family created a haunted barn for children to attend. Grade schoolers, Catechism and church classes, and 4-H groups went through the Drolema barn for many October celebrations. She is reported to have been very fond of the "The Asylum of Mad Dreams!" Her children Arnie, Harlan, Jeanne, and Elaine were involved in the creation.

Now, Arnie and his son, Mitch, carry on the family tradition. In fact, the "Mad" portion of their very-spooky asylum refers to Mitch and Arnie Drolema.

Check out the website at www.asylumofmaddreams.com for details.

by Stephanie A. Vavra, Guest Columnist
October 15, 2004