Tiaras and dresses glitter in the sun as children’s faces light up. The smell of pizza wafts through the air. Businesses join together to fill up tables with goodie bags, and rush to decorate their car trunks. All of these people gathered for one little girl: Olivia Ennis.
The Make a Wish Foundation and Westford Police Department (WPD), collaborated to host Olivia’s Not-So-Scary Trunk-or-Treat Party on Thursday, Sept. 25. This event was a send-off for Ennis to the Walt Disney World Resort event, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.
Many local businesses such as the Italian restaurant Evviva Trattoria and the service organization Rotary International participated in decorating their trunks and handing out candy for Ennis and her classmates. Despite on-and-off rainstorms throughout the day, all 45 vehicles and 150 people who were expected to be present showed up for Ennis.
“As soon as [WPD] reached out to community businesses and partners and mentioned the event we wanted to put on, the response was overwhelming,” head of WPD’s Community Event Team, Lieutenant Brian Gendron, said. “[…] Everyone we reached out to said yes, [with] no hesitation.”
Make-A-Wish is a foundation that provides wishes to children with critical illnesses, such as opportunities to travel or meet celebrities. These wishes aim to provide hope and strength for families who are suffering through a difficult time. As for six-year-old Ennis, she has just completed her treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a disease that has dominated the earlier years of her life.
According to Kara Walker, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Make-A-Wish, Ennis has successfully recovered from leukemia after enduring a grueling treatment cycle. Make-A-Wish wanted to provide her with a send-off as well as grant her a wish, so when she reminisces on this period in future years, she will have a positive memory to look back on.
“[Ennis] is a spunky, energetic kid, but there were a lot of times during her treatment where she was not able to play with her friends or be around other children, so this is something she gets because she’s been through something so horrible,” Walker said. “For [Ennis] and her family to know [that] they have the whole community behind them is truly amazing.”
As for the event itself, it began with Ennis and her classmates walking in, their faces lighting up as they saw how the community had come together to make the event possible. As the children commenced with the collection of candy and goodies from different trunks, and engaged in fun arts and crafts, WA students came into play and provided their own surprises for Ennis.
Members of Westford Academy Theater Arts (WATA) surprised Ennis by walking into the event dressed as Disney princesses to commemorate her send-off. WATA assisted in handing out candy to the children, and interacted with them, making the experience even more memorable for Ennis.
“When [our teacher] told us we would be doing this, I was truly touched,” sophomore WATA member Abby Mantenuto said. “This is such a beautiful experience for [Ennis] and I think it’s so important and lovely that we get to do this for her.”
WATA’s walk-in was not the only surprise they organized for Ennis. As the party moved to food and dancing, they shocked Ennis and her classmates with gifts, dressing up as Ennis’ favorite superhero, Spiderman, and performing “Let it Go” from Disney’s Frozen. However, the most memorable surprise was when WATA brought out a large dragon puppet for the children to interact with. Additionally, WATA spent the entirety of their time at the party dancing and giving the children glitter and fun plastic jewelry, making them feel like princesses and princes themselves.
“I think one of the best parts of WATA is our sense to help the community,” senior WATA member Trinity Murphy said. “We look to reach out, but when we get reached out to, it feels even better. It just really feels like we get to make a difference.”
As for Ennis, she and her family look forward to going to Walt Disney World Resort next month, and continuing to celebrate and create positive memories for her to look back on.
“There are so many difficult things that happen in the world every day, and to be able to do something like this just reminds us that people are good and want to help those around them,” Walker said. “You can’t come to an event like this, and not [leave] smiling and with a full heart.”
