Hope College has discontinued its annual Safe Halloween event for area children. The event took place in the college's residence halls for many years until it was relocated to a central location in 2010.

“We always enjoyed hosting event in the buildings. Safe Halloween was an opportunity to provide a glimpse of what life was like for our students to local kids and their families. However, the event required our residential halls to be unlocked and entrances unmonitored for a significant period, posing a potential security risk. Additionally, the buildings are a main site for Hope students to study. Hosting the event in the halls created a significant disruption for some Hope students at a point in the academic year where the demands are especially high,” said Dr. John Jobson, associate dean of students and director of residential life and housing.

The event moved to a centralized location on-campus in the fall of 2010. “The move to the Maas Conference Center, while addressing the concerns regarding security and disruption to our students, resulted in a format similar to other Safe Halloween events provided by many area churches, schools, and other organizations. As a result, attendance at our event dropped significantly,” Jobson said.