Ghouls just wanna have fun

From the Portland Press Herald (Portland, ME)

They’ll get their chance – for a good cause – at the Ghoulwill Ball.

Forget ghosts and goblins — with more than $500 in prize money at stake, you’ll need to get more creative than that to have a chance at being crowned a winner during Saturday night’s Ghoulwill Ball at Port City Music Hall.

Most Creative Use of Goodwill Finds winners Megan Wallace, dressed as a combination of Dorothy and the Wicked Witch, and Brian Wallace, dressed as a combination of the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow and the Yellow Brick Road.

“Think very unique,” said Trendy Stanchfield, development director at Goodwill Industries of Northern New England, which is hosting the ball. “There are lots of opportunity for witches, but it’s the people who go over the top and think outside the box, like the ‘ThunderCats’ of the world, who really pull it off.”

Last year’s grand-prize winners were Stacey and Shiran Pasternak, who impressed the judges with a daring display of full-body spandex in their successful quest to channel Cheetara and Lion-O from the animated 1980s TV series “ThunderCats.”

Now in its third year, the benefit costume party will hand out prizes for Most Creative Use of Goodwill Finds ($150), Best Group Theme ($150), People’s Choice ($150) and Grand Prize ($250). Judging the Halloween finery will be Jim Keithley of WMTW-8, Shannon Bryan of MaineToday.com and Erin Elizabeth of The Portland Phoenix.

There will also be a drawing for a $150 Goodwill gift certificate. To enter the drawing, party guests need to bring in a receipt showing that they purchased part of their costume at one of the stores.

In addition to creative and creepy couture, the party features dancing to cover tunes by The Waiters, palm reading with The Sorceress, a free photo booth, catered hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar.

The local Goodwill affiliate borrowed the idea for the party from its sister organization in Austin, Texas, which has been hosting a Ghoulwill Ball for a number of years.

“It’s definitely trick-or-treating for adults,” Stanchfield said. “It’s Halloween creativity gone amok. Folks can come for a reasonable price, get dressed up, have a lot of fun and support a charity.”

Tickets cost $25, and organizers expect more than 200 guests this year, which will translate into about $10,000 raised for Goodwill’s work force development programs.

The statewide services help people of all stripes find work. The service might help someone who has been laid off update a resume, assist an unemployed veteran obtain needed industry certifications, or offer on-the-job mentoring for a person with intellectual or physical disabilities.

In addition to supporting a worthy cause, the Ghoulwill Ball also highlights the most popular shopping season at Goodwill.

“We are softly known as the Halloween headquarters,” Stanchfield said. “It doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to get pieces for your costume. And if you’re stuck, go into one of our stores to get inspiration. It’s our biggest season for the stores.”