Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – The Mayor’s Youth Advancement Council (MYAC) announced this week that its annual “Boo in the Boro” event is canceled, with the MYAC now working with the Jonesboro Police Department in its Trunk or Treat Block Party.
MYAC sponsor Lynette Hirsch confirmed that MYAC’s event, which was scheduled for Oct. 31, was canceled to allow the council to refocus its efforts on supporting JPD’s Trunk or Treat event.
JPD’s Trunk or Treat Block Party, which is always on the Wednesday before Halloween, has become a very well-established event that has grown over the years, Hirsch said. Instead of the city doing two separate events in the same week, the idea was to combine them.
“There’s obviously a lot of effort, energy, and resources that go into planning an event of that capacity,” she said, noting that the MYAC student board felt it was asking members to work the same booths twice in one week, so it was better to support JPD’s event.
Hirsch added that Boo in the Boro was canceled due to the MYAC itself being restructured, with the goal of making it more efficient and providing students with more opportunities.
“We are in the middle of some big changes with the council,” Hirsch said. “When MYAC was first incorporated, they started with about 40-something students, and we are now at 99 in membership over the past four years. So, there’s going to be some shifting and changes to adjust to that growth from how it first began.”
At JPD’s event, MYAC members will serve as contest judges and manage two separate booths as volunteers. These booths include a MYAC booth near the JET trolley area and another at the JPD Command Center, which will serve as a location for lost children.
Hirsch said the idea behind having MYAC students at the lost children booth was that they’d be less intimidating to kids, as opposed to a uniformed officer. This booth will also have crafts to keep any lost children busy while they are waiting to be reunited with their parent/guardian.
“They’ll be helping in any other capacity that might be needed that night as well,” Hirsch said. “We are planning for about 12,000 people in attendance for that evening, and we know that the MYAC is a great pool of students with 99 of them to pull from to help us as volunteers.”
She said it also gives students community service hours to go toward the required 75 hours to graduate.
READ MORE: Schools continue to adjust to LEARNS’ required community service learning
For those who had already registered for a trunk or a booth at Boo in the Boro, Hirsch said they will not automatically be registered for the JPD Trunk or Treat event instead. Contact JPD Trunk or Treat volunteer coordinator, First Baptist Church children’s pastor LeAnne Barnett, at lbarnett@fbcjonesboro.org if you would still like to participate.
Boo in the Boro was also canceled last year due to weather, Hirsch noted. As for next year, the MYAC will continue to collaborate on the JPD Trunk or Treat Block Party.
This year’s JPD Trunk or Treat Block Party will be Oct. 29 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the corner of Matthews Avenue and Union Street in downtown Jonesboro. Candy donations are still being accepted. Learn more about the event and donating here.
