Halloween Cruise-Thru is Oct. 30

Vehicles will only be admitted to the event
via the hospital’s main entrance off College Drive

The Halloween Cruise-Thru & Haunted Garden will offer an early start to this year’s Halloween festivities.

Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County is hosting the event from 4-6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at the main entrance of the hospital at 1200 College Drive.

In an effort to keep traffic moving as smoothly and efficiently as possible, don’t make left-hand turns near the hospital to get to and from the event. Here’s how it will work:

• Vehicles are asked to enter the hospital campus via the main entrance off College Drive. It will help maintain traffic flow if vehicles travel south (from Gateway Boulevard or Stagecoach Drive) onto College Drive to make a right-hand turn to enter the event.
• DO NOT enter off Skyline Drive or from the hospital’s back entrances. Barricades will be set up to prevent admittance from those locations. To ensure that the Emergency Room and Ambulance entrances are accessible at all times, please avoid Skyline Drive during that time.
• The COVID-19 Drive-Thru Swabbing Station will close at 3:30 p.m. that day. It will open again Saturday for its regular weekend hours, which are from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Vehicles will circle the “haunted” Dr. Pryich Healing Garden from the north at the front of the hospital.
• Cars will come to a temporary stop under the awning at the main entrance, which continues to be closed to the public. Hospital staff will hand out goodie bags while supplies last to children in the vehicles. At no time should anyone leave their vehicle.
• Traffic will flow back out by circling the south side of the garden, departing at the main entrance and traveling south (a right-hand turn) down College Drive toward Dewar Drive.

“With the current COVID-19 restrictions, we are not able to host our typical ‘Halloween Extravaganza’ with its 13 haunting stations,” said Robin Fife, event coordinator. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the holiday with the community.

“We picked the Friday date to give parents more Halloween event options for their children,” she said. “It also may be more convenient for them if they are picking up their children from an after-school party.”

The hospital is taking precautions to make sure the event is a safe one, said Marketing Director Deb Sutton. Volunteers will help direct traffic, masks will be worn and hand sanitizer will be used. The public is urged to wear masks to protect hospital staff, as well.

Lower your risk of getting the flu and COVID-19 by:

• Wearing a mask. Halloween masks sold this time of year do not protect against viruses. They are not a substitute for cloth masks that cover your nose and mouth.
• Washing your hands often for at least 20 seconds each time. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer with an alcohol concentration of at least 60%.
• If attending a drive-thru or a trunk-or-treat event, wear an appropriate face covering and carry hand sanitizer in your vehicle.
• For more ideas from the Centers for Disease and Prevention, go to www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html#halloween.