Hospital Creates Safe Halloween Haven for Kearney Kids

When CHI Health Good Samaritan in Kearney learned that Halloween is the deadliest day of the year for child pedestrians, they decided to do something about it.

The hospital is hosting a Trunk-or-Treat event on October 22, transforming their north parking lot into a safe, well-lit celebration space. Hospital staff will hand out candy to kids age 12 and under from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., giving families a fun alternative to street-to-street trick-or-treating.

"It is wonderful to watch children enjoy themselves in a well-lit, safe environment, offering all of the treats without any of the tricks," says Tracy Rademacher, Trauma Prevention Nurse at Good Samaritan. The free event welcomes all families, with costumes encouraged and adult supervision required.

The timing couldn't be better. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, pedestrian deaths among children double on Halloween compared to any other day of the year.

The Ripple Effect

This single event is part of a bigger mission. Rademacher, who also coordinates Safe Kids Platte Valley, is using the Trunk-or-Treat as a platform to teach families year-round safety habits.

Her advice is simple but powerful. Kids should cross at corners, make eye contact with drivers, and ditch their phones while walking. Parents can add reflective tape to costumes and swap masks for face paint so kids can see clearly.

Even drivers play a role. Slowing down in neighborhoods, turning on headlights earlier, and staying off phones can save lives.

The hospital's emergency department staff see firsthand what can happen on Halloween night. By creating this safe space, they're preventing injuries before they happen instead of just treating them later.

What started as a safety concern has become a community celebration where kids can be kids without parents worrying about dark streets and distracted drivers.