Alpha Hall, in a partnership with Associated Students and Residence Life, will welcome as many as 800 to 1,000 local children to their 11th annual Candyland event, despite having a slightly smaller budget than last year.

Held every Halloween, Candyland provides La Mirada community members with a fun and safe alternative to the typical Halloween traditions, according to Alpha East Senator Nikki Garcia. Children go trick-or-treating at different dorm rooms, which residents adorn to match each floor’s chosen theme. Alpha women dress up in the style of their theme and hand out candy to the costumed children who pass by their doorsteps.

Receiving funding and sponsorship

After last year’s 10th anniversary Candyland, the dorm still had $300 remaining from the AS funds. Additionally, they received $1,300 this year from AS.

Outside sources help sponsor this event on top of the AS funding, including local companies such as Starbucks, Stater Bros. and Chick-Fil-A, according to sophomore Rebecca Gallacher, senator of Alpha West.

“Last year there were eight [sponsors], but this year they are expecting about three to four,” she said.

Garcia noted that she does not believe this was the entire cause behind the difference in what was proposed and what was actually used.

“They overshot and maybe didn’t realize it wasn’t that expensive,” Garcia said.

Leftover money to be rolled over into this year's budget

The leftover money will be rolled over into this year’s budget in order to buy more candy and supplies, such as butcher paper and paint for the girls’ different door decorations, according to Garcia.

This means that every girl on that floor will decorate their door with decorations for that theme. For example, one door could be decorated with doctor-themed decor, like a painting of a stethoscope and a paper cutout of a Band-Aid. At the end of the night, there will be three prizes given away for the most creative rooms.

There is also a dorm competition to see which dorm can donate the most candy for the event.

Involving the community

The dorm that donates the most candy will receive 200 dorm points to go toward the dorm championship, according to Garcia.

“[Candyland] opens up Biola, builds trust with the local community and shows them that we are welcoming and we’re not the typical college,” Garcia said.

Freshman psychology major Victoria Pita explained how her floor was excited to decorate for their theme of Queen Frostine and her Disney friends. Pita says that she is planning to decorate her room as “Beauty and the Beast,” using paper and paint to make it come alive.

“I’m very excited; I think we’re all very excited,” Pita said.

“The purpose of Candyland is for the kids to have an alternative to an unsafe environment of going door-to-door in the dark in a neighborhood they don’t know,” she said.