UNMC/Hot 107.7 radio co-sponsored children’s event

Three Trick or Trunkers receive their candy.

On Halloween night, UNMC and radio station Hot 107.7 co-sponsored – Trick or Trunk – a candy giveaway that drew more than 2,000 children and parents to the Baker’s Place parking lot at 51st Street and Ames Avenue. This was the first time for such an event in North Omaha.

The trunks belonged to six new cars donated by Tim O’Neill Chevrolet and three vehicles owned by Hot 107.7, including their well-known 107.7 Big Body Van. UNMC’s Ira Combs, community liaison nurse coordinator, coordinated a healthy component to the traditional candy distribution.

UNMC volunteers distributed 250 UNMC “Trick or Trunk” coloring books, along with packets of crayons provided by Access Medicaid/Kids Connection. The coloring book features diagrams of the human body, portraits of health science professionals and a number of activity pages.

“The sheer number of kids who showed up blew our minds,” Combs said. “We gave out the entire stock of coloring books and crayons in the first 15 minutes. The weather was cold but the music was hot, and the kids and parents stood patiently in a long line to get their treats. We had volunteers from UNMC, Hot 107.7, Tim O’Neill Chevrolet and the Baker’s Place Family Dollar store giving out candy non-stop from 5 to 7 p.m. The radio guys had nearly given out their entire van load of candy by 6 o’clock and had to go buy a second load.”

Viral Microbial, left, and Prevention Man with a toddler, dressed as a baby tiger.

While some children danced and swayed to the latest hip-hop and R&B tunes, others talked with the health superhero Prevention Man and his arch nemesis Viral Microbial. Both characters passed out coloring books and then walked up and down the waiting line reminding the children to be eat their healthy food first and to brush their teeth.

“We are truly looking forward to making this an annual Halloween event,” Combs said. “Never underestimate the power of a radio station, or kids’ love for candy and Halloween. Trick or Trunk was a bigger success that any of us could have imagined. Thanks to community support, we have now have a major vehicle to help turn Halloween into a healthy moment for thousands of children in North Omaha.”