Local children trick-or-treat at Hamilton
By Sarafina Madden ’26, Staff Writer
Every year Hamilton’s Newman Council, a Catholic organization on campus, invites children and families affiliated with the Theo Bowman House and the Midtown Utica Community Center, two community centers based in Utica, to trick-or-treat on campus. This year, flocks of children dressed in a range of consumes arrived on campus in the evening, excited to relish in Halloween festivities. This annual trick-or-treat tradition usually amounts to 100 kids. The Newman Council coined this tradition as “Trust Treat” in honor of Eric Trust ʼ92, a member of the 1992 Hamilton class who died unexpectedly on Halloween day during his first year at Hamilton. Trust Treat finds funding from the Class of ʼ92 and the Trust family and has been a tradition for the past 31 years.
Co-President Kirk Petrie ʼ25 explained that “the idea of the event is to give people the chance to go trick-or-treating that otherwise might not have the chance to.” Co-President Madeleine Cerone ʼ26 added that the community organizations involved in the event are “also committed to giving kids a safe and fulfilling Halloween experience.” As soon as the trick-or-treaters arrive on campus, the Council divides the children into groups and assigns them a student tour guide. Cerone estimated the age range of children participating in the event as being between five and 12 years of age.
Traversing almost the entirety of campus, groups stopped to trick-or-treat in dark and light side dorms, making a grand total of 50 stops. Hannah Turner ʼ26, a tour guide from the night, attested that “there were so many kids saying this was their first time trick-or-treating and saying this was the best night of their lives.” She reflected on the experience of the night, explaining that “it felt so heartwarming to know we could have such an impact.”
Another tour guide, Katherine Stevens ʼ26, shared that “a good moment from the night was when we saw kids we trick-or-treated [with] last year and they gave us hugs. One girl said she still had the hat I gave her last year,” revealing just how great an impact this night has on the children participating. Bella Carioscia ʼ26, shared that “through this opportunity we had the chance to impact the community that Hamilton is in.”
Along their route, groups had the chance to stop in the Science Center to watch a chemistry experiment conducted by students. Cerone comments that the scene was “a mad scientist sort of thing.” The event drew participation from both students handing out candy in their dorms and organizations on campus, such as the Men’s Basketball Team, which set up a trick-or treating post in a classroom in List for the evening. Trust Treat inspired Halloween spirit across campus as Cerone asserted that “people around campus are excited about the event–decorating and dressing up.”
Extensive planning went into Trust Treat. Co-President Ethan Connolly ʼ25 shared that the Council spent $630 on candy at Target. Petrie explained that ironing out the logistics for the event proved stressful but he attested that once everyone arrived on campus at 5:30, it “all felt worth it.”
