As 2-year-old Charlie, dressed as a fireman, walked around Reiman Gardens’ Spirits in the Garden event Oct. 25, there was only one thing on his mind: candy. Not just any candy but Smarties. 

Already conquering three volunteers who had buckets full of candy, he was on the hunt to add to his collection. While it was Charlie’s first time at Spirits in the Gardens, he definitely did not make himself a stranger.

The annual trick-or-treat garden festival is the largest family event Reiman Gardens hosts. It had many activities for children to take part in, including story telling, arts and crafts, wildlife interaction, a scavenger hunt, costumes and games. It is also used as an education opportunity. 

“Hopefully, [we] introduce them to all the stuff going on in the gardens as well as give them an opportunity to have a little fun around Halloween,” said Aaron Steil, Reiman Gardens’ manager of public programs.

Included in the tour was Ernie the Possum, who was rescued after former owners attempted to domesticate him.Ernie is taken on educational programs to inform community members about the Wildlife Care Clinic.

“We are here to do some outreach. We want to get [the public’s] awareness of our clinic,” said Alex Courtney, staff member at the Wildlife Care Clinic. “We are really trying to build up our base, get new cages, get these animals that we use for our programs better spaces, as well as provide better care for the animals that will come in.”

Being a nonprofit organization in the Ames area for the past 30 years, Wildlife Care Clinic is run by undergraduate students who want to be involved with animals. On-call undergraduate students assist at all hours. Community members can help with the organization by funding an animal online.

Design students also provided colorful costumes for the public to enjoy. As a part of the theme “2014: A Garden Odyssey,” costumes were based off of the designers’ perception of an alien.

“I think the greatest benefit is seeing my costume come from this really crazy idea into a real thing. Then seeing the way that people react to it,” said Jorden Charron, junior in apparel design.

From the design program to the greek community, greeks gave back by volunteering with games.

“I like to volunteer. I like to come out and give back to the community,” said Sebastian Paradise, sophomore in software engineering.

Reiman Gardens tries to give a safe atmosphere as children run around in costumes from station to station.

“I like that it is close, the friendly volunteers, the cool costumes for him to see, and it’s one location so I feel safe that he can just walk around and explore,” said Natalie Carran, Charlie’s mother.