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Scotts scaring up cash for local family in need

Enter if you dare — but remember, this scare is for a good cause.
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Doug

Enter if you dare — but remember, this scare is for a good cause.

Doug Scott and his family have been running a haunted house at their home in Duncan for several Halloweens. This year is different only in that they are asking for donations to help a local family get through a hard time.

“I think the best adrenaline is when you scare people and you can get away with it,” said Doug, who puts together the haunted house with the help of his wife Lindsay and sons Riley and Morley.

Although they have never asked for anything in return, this time they are asking for cash donations from visitors to the 100-foot maze.

“We’ve been doing it about five years,” Doug said. “This year we wanted to do something more with it.”

Proceeds will go to the Crawford-Starter family. Jody Starter, who battled Crohn’s disease most of her life, died of cancer earlier this month, leaving behind her husband, Josh Crawford, and their two young children. The farm family also provided assistance to individuals with mental health challenges and their families.

Josh had coached Morley in baseball and soccer, so the tragedy hit home for the Scotts. A Gofundme account was set up to assist during Starter’s battle with cancer, and the Scotts felt they could still help out.

The haunted house is already up and running, and ready to frighten anyone brave enough to come close.

“We did a trial run last Thursday with about 30 people from the neighbourhood,” Scott said. “It was 30 people who were scared.”

Scott estimates that he and his family have built 90 per cent of the props themselves, supplementing them with a few store-bought items. Off the top of his head, he figures about 1,000 man-hours have gone into putting the haunted house together. “We’re always trying to make it a little better,” he said.

The Scotts’ haunted house is located at 6269 Fearview — pardon me, Fairview — Way, not far from Drinkwater Elementary School. It will be open this Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6-9 p.m.



Kevin Rothbauer

About the Author: Kevin Rothbauer

Kevin Rothbauer is the sports reporter for the Cowichan Valley Citizen
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