Andrews Journaling: Halloweens past were times of great anticipation

  • The annual Halloween party at Lakes End Camp was hosted by owners Griff and Ruth Griffing. Shown (from left) are Lynn Birchfield as the Keystone Cop, Griff is the Red Devil and Patricia Francis is dressed as Pink Panther.
    The annual Halloween party at Lakes End Camp was hosted by owners Griff and Ruth Griffing. Shown (from left) are Lynn Birchfield as the Keystone Cop, Griff is the Red Devil and Patricia Francis is dressed as Pink Panther.
  • Big Bird is showing off her feathers. Charlotte McGhee is dressed as Wonder Woman, while the Bat Lady is unfortunately unidentified.
    Big Bird is showing off her feathers. Charlotte McGhee is dressed as Wonder Woman, while the Bat Lady is unfortunately unidentified.
    .

    Lakes End Camp on Nantahala Lake was the place to be on Halloween during the 1980s. “Griff” Griffing and his wife, Ruth, hosted the much-anticipated Halloween party in the area.

    Honestly, people planned their costumes for months, even having them sewn by seamstresses. Most of the employees from the Happy Flounder restaurant, including owner Tommy Palmer showed up with spectacular costumes from Miss Piggy to Big Bird.

    Griff’s daughter Lynnie made her Big Bird costume, and it took many weeks and

    hours to attach all those feathers. Patricia Francis made her Pink Panther outfit and sewed the Wonder Woman suit for Charlotte Birchfield (McGhee).

    Griff would move the cafe tables out to the edge of the room to make a larger area to socialize and dance. For everyone who used to attend this event, it is memories of fun, friendship and laughter – something we need more of today.

    Both of Griff’s daughters, Janie and Lynnie, worked at the Happy Flounder, as did Charlotte, Peggy Yon, Linda Bloom, Natalie Grant, Keith Francis. Mattie Neal, Barbara Huffstler, Lisa Dockery and Nancy Dostal, just to name a few. Many of them attended the Halloween parties.

    I guess all of us have many Halloween memories, but one of my favorite memories about going “trick or treating” was when my cousin, Charlotte, and I decided to walk around Valleytown collecting candy when we were teenagers. First of all, Dr. Rodda had us to come in the foyer and beside the candy bowl was a real human skull we had to touch before getting candy, and that was really cool.

    So, after we went up all three streets in Valleytown, we went back home which was near Valleytown Baptist Church, and changed clothes and went back to the same houses, except Dr. Rodda’s. And the only person which recognized us was Golmon Roper, and he said “I would know those eyes anywhere.” And he called his wife, Ruth, to come see who was visiting again. Golmon said, “Only you two would think to do that.”

    Kandy Barnard is a columnist for the Cherokee Scout. To talk about the Andrews Valley, call her at 828-361-3268 or email kandybarnard@gmail.com.