Frightmare on Main scares because they care

Hannah Gross
NLJ Correspondent
 
Kellie Taylor, Jared Evick, and Natasha and Robert Miller are hosting the fourth Frightmare on Main. For three nights, this “historically renowned haunted house” will bring Halloween chills and thrills on Oct. 25-26 and 31 from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the basement of the historic Antlers Restaurant and Lounge in Newcastle.
One of the main reasons for Frightmare on Main is to give the kids of the community something fun to do, according to one of the organizers. 
“Newcastle needs something for the youth of Newcastle,” Taylor said. Robert Miller agreed.
“There’s not a whole lot going on in this town,” Miller said. 
When kids are left to themselves, he said, they’ll find ways to create their own fun, usually by doing something they shouldn’t be doing. Miller said that Frightmare on Main allows kids to have fun for a few nights but to also stay out of trouble. 
Last year, the haunted house was 1,200 square feet, but Miller said this year, it’s going to be three times that size. The organizers are grateful to Pam and Chris Gualtieri, he said, for lending them the Antlers basement. Miller joked and said they almost didn’t need to decorate because the basement is spooky enough already. 
Natasha Miller said that she’s looking forward to the scary nights in Newcastle.
“I love to scare people,” she said. 
“We have a lot of fun,” Robert said, adding that a lot of volunteers signed up and will be “scaring the crap out of people.” 
Participants of all ages can enjoy the fun by paying a small admission fee. They can either pay a flat rate of $5 or pay only $3 and donate two items of nonperishable goods. 
Frightmare on Main isn’t just a fun event for the community. It also acts as a fundraiser for local charity organizations. Natasha said the charity that benefits changes from year to year, “as long as it stays in the community.” 
In the past, proceeds have gone to RENEW, Toys for Tots, FOCUS, and others. This year, the beneficiary will be Totes of Hope, an organization that sends bags of food home on Fridays with students who are less fortunate, so that they have meals for the weekend. 
Robert said Frightmare on Main was a way to get something going for the community while giving back to the community.
“It’s something we all whole-heartedly believe in,” Taylor said. 
To help make it all possible, Miller said they’re grateful to the local businesses who have donated. 
“I’m excited to be able to give back to the community,” Natasha said.