This Halloween season, Edmonton, AB, is ready for everyBODY to fully embrace the magic of trick-or-treating.

Halloween can be challenging for children with disabilities, since there are often barriers when it comes to trick-or-treating that make it more difficult for them to participate, including staircases, steep or long driveways, strobe lights or loud noises, crowded front entrances, narrow pathways and more.

Rhonda Navratil, an agent with RE/MAX River City has used RE/MAX’s partnership with Treat Accessibly to offer Edmonton’s first Halloween Village on October 21.

RE/MAX Canada has been a proud supporter of Treat Accessibly since 2018, where offices and agents have helped drive awareness of the program by delivering lawn signs to consumers who are committed to creating an accessible trick-or-treating station at their home for all children to enjoy on Halloween.

The Halloween Villages are a recent extension of the program, where neighbourhoods in cities across Canada host inclusive spaces that allow children with disabilities to go trick-or-treating without the worry of any potential barriers that may have prevented them from joining in on the Halloween fun.

Rhonda’s inspiration for hosting the Halloween Village came from her neighbour, Ruba, whose child has a disability. To ensure Ruba’s child and other children with disabilities in the community could enjoy the holiday, Rhonda has worked alongside Ruba and another community member, Sarah to help bring the Halloween Village to life in their neighbourhood.

The Treat Accessibly Halloween Villages not only provide children with disabilities a chance to enjoy the holiday, but they also serve as an inspiring example of what can be achieved when a community comes together.

Thanks to Treat Accessibly and the support of homeowners and communities across Canada, more and more children each year have been able to experience the magic of Halloween.

If you want to make a difference in your community and are interested in hosting or volunteering at a Halloween Village, please contact Rich Padulo at founder@treataccessibly.com.