Join the festivities in Tooele with free trunk-or-treating and winter clothing giveaways

For many families, Halloween is about costumes, candy and a good bit of spooky fun. This Halloween, the folks at Aspen Ridge Counseling in Tooele are adding something new to the tradition: an opportunity for neighbors and the community to take care of one another.

Aspen Ridge Counseling's third annual Trunk-or-Treat and Winter Warmth Drive will be held Monday, Oct. 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the counseling center's office, located at 71 N. 50 W., Tooele, UT 84074. This free event will feature — of course — candy and costumes, plus community resources and donated winter clothing for families and individuals in need.

The event is part of Aspen Ridge Counseling's annual Winter Warmth Drive, which collects new and lightly used coats and other winter essentials from community members. Those donations are then distributed for free to local families during the Trunk-or-Treat.

It's been successful in the past, largely thanks to its great collaborators. Aspen Ridge Counseling works with community organizations including the Tooele City Library, Another Man's Treasures, Bikers Against Child Abuse, Switchpoint and other local partners to help identify needs and get winter clothing into the hands of people who can use it.

If you're interested in doing something fun while making a difference this Halloween in the Tooele community, here are a few reasons to attend this year's event.

More than candy

The Winter Warmth Drive is built around a simple idea: sometimes the best way to help a neighbor is to give them something you don't need, but they do. An easy way to do this is with coats, boots, gloves or other warm clothing you no longer wear.

This year's drive is seeking all the new or lightly used winter essentials you can spare. Donations can be dropped off through Oct. 21 at Aspen Ridge Counseling's offices in Tooele, Bountiful, Magna, Taylorsville and West Jordan, as well as several Tooele-area community partners.

Those locations include DDI Vantage, Switchpoint, Ability and Choice Services, Another Man's Treasures and Tooele Valley Counseling.

For Aspen Ridge Counseling, the drive is an extension of its work in the community. As a counseling organization, the center works with individuals and families on their mental and emotional well-being — and that kind of health goes beyond the office.

Providing practical resources, creating connections and giving neighbors opportunities to help each other can also make a huge difference — not only for the receiver but the giver.

A welcoming Halloween tradition

The Winter Warmth Drive will culminate at Aspen Ridge Counseling's Trunk-or-Treat on Oct. 26 at their Tooele office.

Families are invited to come in costume and enjoy a fun evening with candy and the community. The event is open and welcome to anyone, whether they are there to do some treating, pick up some winter clothing, connect with one of the many participating community organizations or simply enjoy an evening with good people and neighbors.

The event will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the counseling office located at 71 N. 50 W., Tooele, UT 84074.

Your donation may be small, but it could make all the difference for someone in need this winter.

A night of fun and fulfillment

Whether you're someone with winter clothing to donate, a family looking for help or someone who wants to spend an evening enjoying the Halloween spirit with your neighbors, Aspen Ridge Counseling invites all of the Tooele community to join in the fun.

Together, Tooele can help make sure more local families stay warm this winter.

Looking to drop off items? Here is a list of locations for your convenience:

• Aspen Ridge Counseling: 71 N. 50 W., Tooele, UT 84074
• Aspen Ridge Counseling: 585 W. 500 S., Suite 130, Bountiful, UT 84010-8321
• Aspen Ridge Counseling: 2711 S. 8500 W., Magna, UT 84044
• Aspen Ridge Counseling: 3509 W. 4700 S., Taylorsville, UT 84129
• Aspen Ridge Counseling: 1561 W. 7000 S., Suite 200, West Jordan, UT 84084
• DDI Vantage: 165 S Main St., Suite 200, Tooele, UT 84074
• Switchpoint: 251 N. 1st St., Bldg C, Tooele, UT 84074
• Ability and Choice Services: 163 S. Main St., Tooele, UT 84074
• Another Man's Treasures: 14 W. Vine St., Tooele, UT 84074
• Tooele Valley Counseling: 1102 60 S. Suite 6, Tooele, UT 84074

For more information, click here.