Ghouls and goblins to meet up for Lions spookhike

It’s the start of autumn, the leaves are changing and will soon fall, Jack-O-Lanterns have appeared on porchsteps and ...ghouls and goblins are gathering for the Wilmington Lions Club’s annual spookhike, “A Walk in the Woods.”
This year’s event will take place Friday, Oct. 25 and Saturday, Oct. 26, beginning at 7 p.m. each night. (The gates close at 10 p.m.) The meandering haunted and spooky hike, with scares and frights around every turn, moves back to the South Island this year.
Generations of families have visited the haunted outdoor trail over the last four decades, and while its location in the island park isn't quite as terrifying as the trail at the Forest Preserve District's Forsythe Woods, the more recent venue has its moments — delivered by a cadre of volunteer monsters who lurk in the darkness along the shores of the Kankakee River and the millrace. A lighted pathway will guide hikers safely on their way.
All ages and sensibilities are welcome. The Lions Club’s 100% volunteer staff caters to everyone, from the meek and mild to the hard and tempered; ultra scares for those brave souls and a calm, friendly “Happy Halloween” for young and more impressionable guests.
Admission is still a $5 donation per guest. Free parking is available on the North Island, and a free hayrack shuttle will bring hikers over to the South Island.
The Walk in the Woods is a fundraiser for the Wilmington Lions Club, which uses the proceeds to support a variety of local community projects and assist with the purchase of eyeglasses and hearing aids, and many other ventures in the Wilmington area.
For additional information, or to offer your services as volunteer cast or crew, contact “Scary” Mary Belter at 815-953-2541.