Stories this week at Wake Forest

PROJECT PUMPKIN PROVIDES HALLOWEEN FUN FOR CHILDREN

Project Pumpkin, an annual event sponsored by the Wake Forest Volunteer Service Corps, will bring nearly 1,200 disadvantaged children to campus for an afternoon of Halloween fun Oct. 26 from 3-6 p.m. Costumed student volunteers will escort children through residence halls for trick-or-treating. Student organizations will sponsor carnival booths, face-painting, haunted houses and other entertainment. Clowns will entertain the children with balloon animals and juggling. Several campus singing groups will also perform. Most events will take place on the Quad between Wait Chapel and Reynolda Hall. More than 1,500 Wake Forest students will help with Project Pumpkin, now in its 12th year. In the past, more than 35 social service agencies have participated, including the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Clubs, the Housing Authority of Winston-Salem and Hispanic Outreach.

HALLOWEEN HORROR: WHAT MAKES A GOOD SCARY MOVIE?

The best scary movies are always allegories about contemporary life, says David Lubin, Charlotte Weber Professor of Art and expert on horror films. “The scariest of them-say, ‘The Exorcist,’ or ‘The Omen,’ or ‘Alien’-are topsy-turvy versions of everyday anxieties and fears: What if your innocent little child is corrupted by the evils of the adult world? What if your innocent little child is actually a monster? What if you discover a monstrous growth within you?” To schedule an interview with Lubin, call the News Service.

EXPERT CAN PROVIDE COMMENT ON CURRENT UNREST IN MIDDLE EAST

Charles A. Kimball, chairman of the religion department and a professor at Wake Forest University, is available to provide analysis for stories about the current unrest in the Middle East. He is an expert analyst on the Middle East, Islam, the Religious Right and other issues raised by the intersection of religion and politics. He is also the author of three books about religion and politics in the Middle East and Islam. You may reach Kimball’s office at 336-758-5464. His home telephone number is 336-922-1493.

UNDECIDED VOTERS KEY TO ELECTION OUTCOME

With the presidential election so close, the race will likely come down to the battle fought on the ground in trying to mobilize voters, said Andrew Rich, assistant professor of politics. “It’s the ground efforts to get voters out to the polls in key states that could well-determine the election.” He says its unlikely that candidate positions on any single issue will help them make up their minds at this point. “They’re probably assessing the personalities and leadership potential of the candidates.” To schedule an interview, call the News Service.

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