Join the Ghostwalk family, become a tour guide along the haunted trail

By Dee Anne Helsel

Special to the Santa Paula Times  

“If you’re not busy the last three weekends of October, why not come join my family? It’s a family reunion of sorts,” explains Dee Helsel, the artistic director of Santa Paula’s Ghostwalk, an annual fundraiser for the benefit of the Santa Paula Theater Center.

“This is our 17th year, and quite a few of our volunteers have been with us for more than 10 years. In fact, people like Louie Hengehold have been “ghosting” since the beginning. So if you know Louie, and most everybody in town does, ask him about how much fun he has each year. He and Kirk Martin, who drives in from Santa Barbara, get the prize for the longest Ghostwalk career.”

There are many others, mostly locals of Santa Paula, who match Louie and Kirk’s longevity record, and those people are called “Guides.” They lead groups of “walkers” from ghost site to ghost site, introducing and setting up the ghastly tales of Halloween. They return each year with fresh batteries in their flashlights and good walking shoes, raring to go yet once again. For many, like carving a pumpkin and finding a costume, Ghostwalk has become part of their fall tradition.

So how about joining the ranks? Unlike the “ghosts” (already cast, sorry), you don’t have to learn any lines. You’re given a script to read, a map and dress rehearsal to walk the route. You can also tag along with a veteran guide a couple of times before your first time out.

“You don’t have to think of yourself as a performer,” says Dee. “Maybe you’re a teacher, or lead a manager meeting for your company, or head up a Girl Scout troop. Or maybe you’ve been to a Ghostwalk or two and thought about joining us. This is the year. And we’re not talking about donating a lot of time. The tours start at 6:30, go out every 15 minutes with the last one out at 9 p.m. They last about an hour, so most guides do two tours in one night. It’s up to you whether you just want to do one weekend, or come back and do more. And you get to choose your time slot by signing up on our web site.”

Then again, maybe you’re just not the person who likes to be out in front of people. We need more “family” members for behind the scenes too. There are lots of details to attend to from working the fog machines for each ghost to parking lot duty.