What Evil Lurks Behind These Walls?

[quote style=”2″]Umatilla Haunted House Features Evil Santa and Other Wicked Sights[/quote]

A nightmarish Santa Claus stopped by Umatilla a little early this year to join skeletons, witches, ghosts and mummies at the fourth annual Umatilla Lions Club Haunted House.

Hosted at the McNary Fire Station, the weekend Halloween haunt ended on a festive note this year: A ghoulish winter scene, complete with Santa Claus, an elf and a Christmas tree.

“We’ve got Santa, but he’s really not the Santa you want to visit,” Haunted House organizer Cathy Putnam said. “The fire department has their own ‘Nightmare Before Christmas.’ ”

Behind the mask and under the red suit, volunteer firefighter Bryce Kennedy eyed the reaction of those walking through the spectacle.

“I don’t even have to say anything – people come around the corner, they see it, and they usually run back or out the door,” he said. “I’ve played a real Santa before, but never with the intention to scare people. This is really creative.”

And Kennedy wasn’t the only part-time Santa in the building – Stan Anderson put his white beard to use in the cemetery room, where his disembodied head hung from a meat hook.

“It’s fun being crazy,” Anderson said with a laugh. “I turn into Santa for Christmas – My wife and I are Mr. and Mrs. Claus. For Halloween, we’re just crazy.”

Anderson and Kennedy joined about 15 other actors at the Haunted House, all volunteers interested in having fun and helping the community. Theme areas also included a witch’s mansion, an Egyptian pharaoh’s tomb and the laboratory of a mad scientist.

“We love it, we love Cathy (Putnam), and we love to Lions Club,” Liz Shaw, assistant to the mad scientist, said. “We help as much as we can.”

The admission price to the haunted house is $1 for kids 12 and under and $2 for teens and adults. The Umatilla Lions Club donates all money raised to local groups, such as the Umatilla Fire Department and the builder’s club at Clara Brownell Middle School.

On Friday night, the Haunted House welcomed less than 100 visitors. Organizers and volunteers contributed the slow night to competition with the football game going on at Umatilla High School.

“Last night was kind of quiet, but tonight ought to be good,” Putnam said. “It’s a lot of fun.”

Some of the event patrons agreed. Three friends – Brandon, Hugo and Jose – went through the house multiple times over its two-night run and waited near the end to watch others exit the fire station.

“I went through probably 10 times,” 11-year-old Brandon said. “The scariest? Santa. He has a scary mask and he’ll chase you all the way out. It’s awesome.”