ABOUT TOWN: Spooky and Safe Halloween Happenings in Stoughton (And More...)

IT'S FRIGHTENING...THE 7-1-5 HAUNTED HOUSE: Jason and Mike Mutascio LOVE the theater, and once a year they DO theater right at their Stoughton home in the form of a Haunted House.

For 25 years, the Mutascio family-run Haunted House was open only to friends and relatives. Five years ago, for the first time, the doors to this Haunted House were open to the public in a fundraising effort in support of the community. Since then, the 7-1-5 Haunted House has welcomed the public in every Halloween season for a night of scares. During the 2010 Halloween season, the 7-1-5 won an award for "Best Haunted House" in the area.

It's located at 715 Central St. at the corner of Central St. and Pleasant St.  

With over 50 live actors, over 35 life size mannequins and animatronics, professional lighting, sound, smoke and projection effects, the 7-1-5 Haunted house is the perfect place to come and face your nightmares. All while gaining a few new ones.

Tickets are $8 and will start to be sold at 6:30 p.m. Doors open when the sun goes down.... Tickets will be sold until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Sundays tickets will stop being sold at 9 p.m. The house then stays open until the line is cleared out.  

The 7-1-5 can accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express.

Classic horror movies will also be shown throughout the night outside.  So if your family or friends get too scared to enter the house, they can enjoy a movie while you test your own fears. 

Refreshments will be available outside, including French fries, fried dough, hot dogs, chicken fingers, and beverages.

Some of the ghouls and goblins you may run into include: Ryan Rutter, Michelle Marie, Michael Mutascio, Audrey Hurley Mutascio, Kellie McGrath, Greg Webber, Matthew Yellowbeard, Jon Goodman, Dave Lambert, and Mallory Breen.  

It gets busy there.  Go early.  Take the kids.  Have a great, if frightful, time.  Very young or easily frightened children could be spooked there.  Others will thoroughly enjoy themselves.  Last weekend!

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A SAFE HALLOWEEN: The Stoughton Police Department is offering a safe Halloween for our children again this year. On Sunday, October 28, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., groups of children will meet at the Stoughton Police Station (26 Rose Street), and head out for safe trick or treating tours.

They’ll visit Town Hall, MAXX Training Center, Honey Dew Donuts, and the Stoughton Fire Department and get some treats, and hopefully some fun!

There is NO CHARGE, but donations for the Stoughton Food Pantries will be accepted at the police station.

Officer Jay Owens came up with the idea a few years ago, and Sgt. Dan McGowan took over this year (because Jay’s wife is expecting a baby shortly.). Last year a freak snowstorm canceled the event.

When asked what inspired the idea, Owens told About Town, “I’ve always been a fan of Halloween. It’s a great holiday for the kids. I wanted to re-invent it so the children had a safe time. Parents are wary of sending their kids knocking on doors of people that they don’t know. There is nothing safer than having your children traveling with a police office, and visiting reputable businesses and their local fire department.”

I couldn’t agree more! So, bring the kids, make a small donation to the food pantry, and relax for a few minutes while your children enjoy themselves!

There are many other Halloween events taking place in the local area. Click on the links below for more details:

Haunted Happenings in Stoughton

Things to do for Halloween This Weekend

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REVEREND LENK'S MOM PASSES AWAY: Olive C. (Clark) Niven, 89, died Sunday, October 21, 2012, at the Copley at Stoughton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Stoughton after a short period of failing health.

Born in Miami, FL, she was raised and educated in Miami FL and Attleboro, MA. She attended Skidmore College and was a graduate of Wheaton College in Norton and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She worked in the Library at Wellesley College then in the Admissions Office at Wheaton College and finally at Blackinton's in Attleboro for several years. In her free time, she enjoyed reading and spending time with her family and her grandchildren.

Olive is survived by her children: David C. Niven and his wife Debra of CA; Andrew L. Niven and his wife Aniceta of Guam; and Rev. Jean Lenk, Pastor of the First Congregational Church, Stoughton, and her husband Peter of Foxboro.

She was the grandmother of Kimberly and Douglas Niven, Nancy Davis, David L., Whitney, Sarah and Albert Niven and Elizabeth and Ian Sangster. Mrs Niven was the great grandmother of Ethan, Tyler and Olivia Davis and Nyjah Niven. She was the sister of the late Eloise Levis and Virginia Sinclair and was the aunt of Linda Kammerer of Marblehead, Jack Sinclair of England and the late Jane Sargeant.

A Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, October 28 at 1:30 p.m. at the First Congregational Church, 76 Pierce St., in Stoughton. Visiting Hours will be held prior to the service from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the Fireplace Room at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations in Olive's memory may be made to the First Congregational Church, where Lenk not only serves as Reverend, but is also a leader of the Stoughton Clergy Association.

Rev. Lenk grew up in Wellesley, where she attended the Wellesley Hills Congregational Church. She received her BA degree from University of Massachusetts at Amherst, a Masters of Science in Management from Lesley College in Cambridge and an M.Div. from Andover Newton Theological School. Previously, she has served as Associate Pastor at the Congregational Church of Topsfield, where she was active at the association, conference and national levels. Rev. Lenk and her husband Peter have four children.

The Town of Stoughton, and all those who have met Rev. Lenk, send our sincerest condolences on the loss of her beloved mother.

(Information and photo furnished through her obituary, published at www.farleyfh.com)

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