Community comes together for Trunk or Treat at Trevecca Community Church

By Skylar Kirby

News and Engagement Editor

Trevecca Community Church’s parking lot was packed Wednesday night with kids in costumes as Trevecca students, church members and community partners came together for Trunk or Treat.

“It’s about being a community that does well for its kids, and its students,” said Jamin Wentworth, the church’s executive pastor for student ministries & congregational life.

About 50 trunks filled the lot starting at 5:45 p. m., staring people of all ages, from kids and Trevecca students to parents and elderly church members. Kids danced, played games, got their faces painted, rode a hay ride and ate hot dogs.

The event is built on partnerships. The church works with Trevecca athletic teams, student groups, Kidpower and community partners to put on one night for the whole neighborhood.

Wentworth said the event has been around since before he arrived at the church 18 years ago, but it has grown quickly in the past 5 years.

“The church was doing a trunk or treat on their own for several years, and it dwindled down to the point, I think, one year we had two cars or something like that,” said Wentworth. “And I’m looking around, I’m like, well, what are we doing?”

At the same time, Kidpower, the Nashville-based after-school program, was running its own trunk or treat with the athletic department in the Jackson parking lot. When Wentworth learned about it, he reached out to combine the two events into one.

Wentworth said the first year as a team went well, but he wanted to bring in more of the community.

“The first year, I was like all right, that’s pretty cool, but can we bring more. Can we involve more groups within Trevecca’s campus? Can SGA be part of this? Can the residence halls? Can the healthcare center and towers, Napier Elementary, and Lead Academy? We wanted to create an event that’s bigger than just passing candy out to kids,” said Wentworth.

During Trunk or Treat Wednesday night, students at Trevecca went above and beyond with themed trunks and costumes.

The softball team dressed as athletes and set up a game where kids threw a football through a hole for points.

“We thought it would be fun to have a game for the kids. I thought it’d be more interactive for them,” said Annalise Mecklenburg, a business administration and information technology major.

Members of the commuter council decorated their trunk like a children’s storybook, with books laid out and members dressed as characters from Cat in the Hat to Little Red Riding Hood. Council president Anjelita Garcia, a civic engagement and restorative justice major, said it is nice for commuters to get involved. She said the group loves being around the kids and helping the Trevecca Community Church.

Landon Mason, an elementary education major and track and field athlete, dressed as Maui for the kids.

“I look like Maui. My youth group called me Maui on a church retreat once and I think it just stuck,” said Mason.

Mason said a little girl dressed up as Moana with a big smile came up to him and made his night.

Three Trevecca security officers rolled up in a golf cart decorated with a ghost theme. Officer Charlie Wilson said it is all about connection.

“We just want to connect with the kids and have fun with the community,” said Wilson.

This was the third year Anabel Leigh, a biology major, took part in trunk or treat with the golf team.

“We just really love interacting with the kids, and we can be a light in their life, even just for one day. We have such a good time, and we just want to give back to the community,” said Leigh.

Head men’s basketball coach Nathan Moran said having his team there to contribute to the community matters a lot to him. The team had a miniature basketball hoop set up for kids to come shoot as the team cheered them on.

For Isaac Miller, the children’s pastor at Trevecca Community Church, the best part was watching the kids light up as they showed off their costumes and face paint or headed for the hay ride or next trunk.

“I think the joy that the kids have in whatever the thing is, that is what is rewarding for me,” said Miller.