It was a witching time in Thousand Oaks this week
Hogan Family Foundation hosts party for underprivileged kids in park

A SCARY CEMETERY - Dale Cowgill, below right, bewitches a group of costumed Halloweeners during a special All Hollow's Eve party hosted by the Hogan Family Foundation at the Gardens of the World Community Park.

There were boys and ghouls of every kind running about Gardens of the World Community Park last Saturday evening. The Hogan Family Foundation, donor of the park to the local community, sponsored a Halloween party for 150 kids from the Ventura County Child Protective Services foster-home program.

Foundation volunteers along with colleagues from Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays, the local travel-industry agency owned by Ed and Lynn Hogan, foundation founders, set up a haunted house, a graveyard and "Ghoul’s Café" for the underprivileged kids to enjoy.

According to Dale Cowgill, foundation director of development and public relations, who came dressed as an olive-faced wicked witch complete with black pointy hat, the event occurred as a result of the foundation’s "My Bag" program in which the foundation donates to children moving through the foster-home system. Many of these children have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, drug use and other problems. Typically, they bring very little with them. The tote bags provided by the foundation are filled with items that the children need such as basic toiletries, socks, underwear and a stuffed animal.

"Sometimes the kids are taken from their homes so quickly when the need arises," Cowgill said. "That they come away with nothing. We have the My Bag program to furnish the bare necessities."

Brooke Grisolia, 14, left, serves her friend, Dani Fine, also 14, dinner, or maybe Dani's the dinner.

Cowgill said that in conversation with protective services’ representatives, she offered the use of the park for a party for program children. "Then it was Halloween time, and it all worked out beautifully," Cowgill said. "Along with all the decorations, we have all kinds of candy hidden around the park for them to find."

In addition to foundation and travel agency volunteers chaperoning the party, McDonald’s restaurant donated Happy Meals and Domino’s Pizza give a number of pizzas to the fine dining in Ghoul’s Cafe.

– John Phane