Many of the brooms used in the Witches Dance on Saturday were uniquely home-made with the exception of possibly one.
On loan to Leila Fournier-Harrison was a broom used in the Campbells television series, which ran from 1985 to 1988. The broom, owned by former set builder, Bill White of Desbarats, was used in Dr. Campbell’s house.
Fournier-Harrison was more than a little excited to participate.
She was one of the 22 like-minded women who turned out for the late afternoon dance in Hilton Beach.
“I’ve always been a little gothy and to have something like that on St. Joe’s was awesome,” she said following the event. “I love Halloween, next to Christmas for the kids.”
Fournier-Harrison said she had practised for two weeks leading up to the outdoor dance and turned out for the one and only practice.
“I just wanted to have fun and this was a great opportunity,” she said.
Lioness and co-organizer of the dance, Cara Hendry, said the Island group joined the movement which is a charity dance that originated in Germany.
“It went viral on YouTube. People were doing it all over,” she said, adding Blind River started with about six witches and this year was about 30.
“It started with a movement of women helping charities, having fun and dancing,” Hendry said. “The German title translated into English is, Shake your bacon.”
Hendry was amazed by the response.
Initially, the coordinator expected a low number of three or four women to turn out, but once it was posted on the Lions Club Facebook page, they had many women wanting to come.
“We had such a great response,” she said. “Next year we’d like to increase the event. It was for a good cause and it was fun.”
The fundraising dance was hosted by the St. Joseph Island Lions Club with just over $500 raised for Matthews Memorial Hospital Association (MMHA) Physician Recruitment and Retention.
It was the second year that the Lions Club held a Halloween fundraiser in support of MMHA.
The Lions Club picked up the cause after Barry and Bev Lyons were forced to shut down the Rocky Ridge Halloween Haunt.
Many of the props used in the Rocky Ridge Halloween Haunt were donated to the Lions Club.
“That was her (Bev) cause. We can’t raise the thousands she did every year, but every little bit helps,” Hendry said agreeing the Lions were willing to step in and continue the community effort.