By Amanda Raymond
amanda.raymond@salisburypost.com

SPENCER — Wes Thompson is a new resident of Spencer. He said despite what other saw, he saw in Spencer a community working to bring a sense unity back to the area.

“There’s just a big sense of community that’s coming out of Spencer and northern Rowan,” he said.

Thompson wanted to do his part to help and came up with a Halloween event he hopes will bring the community together.

The Spencer Cal Ripken League is hosting Home Run Halloween, a trunk or treat event at the Eighth Street Ball Park.

On Oct. 31 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., cars will line the outfield with their trunks full of candy for local children to collect.

There will also be two fire trucks from local stations on the field.

The concessions manager will be handing out free popcorn, hot chocolate and water, while supplies last.

Thompson, sponsorship and fundraising manager for the league, encourages community members to attend the event even if they do not have children to bring.

“We would love to see people just to come out to the trunk or treat just to hang out,” he said. “Let it be a gathering place.”

Thompson said the league wanted to create a safe, family atmosphere for the event so that parents who might be uncomfortable with the traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating have some place to take their children for Halloween.

The event is also an opportunity to gain interest for the baseball league. Thompson said that when there are more people involved in the league, more money can be put back into the community or put aside to help children who want to play baseball but their parents can’t afford it.

“We’d love for some kids to come out and say, ‘Hey mom, I want to play baseball,’” Thompson said.

But the main focus is to help revitalize community spirit.

“I want to prove that this is a great community,” Thompson said.

Thompson said he hopes to make the event an annual one with more volunteers and attendees participating every year.

“We hope we have both of our baseball fields filled with cars in the years to come,” he said.

For more information or to volunteer to give out candy during the event, visit www.facebook.com/SpencerCalRipken.

Contact reporter Amanda Raymond at 704-797-4222.