Baldwin churches host Trunk-or-Treat

Two Baldwin churches celebrated Halloween and the spirit of giving with Trunk-or-treat events this weekend.

St. Christopher’s Church and the Baldwin Boy Scouts Troop 824 held the annual ‘Trunk or Treat to pack the pantry’ on Sunday, October 30 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the church’s rear parking lot located on 11 Gale Avenue. Trunk-or-treat — a practice where community members decorate their trunks and display them in line in a parking lot — featured games, cars filled with candy, and joyful children trick-or-treating their way through the parking lot with their parents.

Sal Cascio, one of the event coordinators and member of the Boy Scout Troop 824 from Baldwin, said they were raising donations through this event to collect food for St. Christopher’s Church Food Pantry, which donates and distributes food to Long Islanders in need during the holiday season.

“All the sponsors and people who raised donations are helping to feed people in need throughout Baldwin, Rockville Centre, Freeport and Oceanside.”

One of the sponsors, Jovia — a financial credit union, had its own green booth where Michelle Reed, a Digital Banking Specialist from Baldwin, and Rishe Poonai, a Branch Supervisor for Jovia in Oceanside, greeted parishioners. Reed said her son, a member of BSA Troop 824, inspired her to ask her workplace to support the troop by sponsoring the event. 

Next to the DJ Booth, Boy Scout Troop 824 Scoutmaster Larry Vodopivec, worked the grill, cooking up hamburgers and hotdogs for parishioners. His wife Kathy Vodopivec, Boy Scout Troop District Emblems Coordinator for the Iroquois District of Nassau County, said Trunk-or-treat started as an idea for Boy Scout troops to complete service requirements, which materialized as the annual food drive. 

“We got the idea to about 15 years ago, and it’s just grown and grown since then,” said Vodopivec.

At the same time across town, One Life Christian Church held their trunk-or-treat 2022 Fall Harvest at their parish located on 3147 Eastern Parkway. The church featured a mobile axe throwing truck, food and drinks, and games for children and parishioners to enjoy.

Isaac Bodaraco, Lead pastor of the church from Hempstead, said he felt blessed to entertain his parishioners on a warm sunny autumn day while celebrating community and the church. He said he joined the church approximately one year ago and is proud to preach to a diverse and tight-knit community like Baldwin.

“This little church is of the most diverse on Long Island,” said Badaraco.

Parishioners danced in front of a DJ booth and children enjoyed a bounce house. Among the crowd, Jason Noone, a church tech team member from Hempstead, said he felt proud to show the community what the church does in Baldwin and welcome new members. 

“Volunteers woke up early to set up and now we can enjoy with the community for the second year,” said Noone. “I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”