The Haunt Drive at Tree Tops Park in Davie delivers safe scares and spooks throughout the month while benefiting Parkland Cares, which funds mental health organizations.
The community’s mental health has been especially concerning to Parkland Cares during the pandemic, and the partnership with Haunt Drive comes at a time when mental health care has become more vital than ever.
“Sadly, mental health problems aren’t just immune to pandemics; they thrive during them,” says April Lewis-Parks, Parkland Cares founding member and board member. “Parkland Cares has provided long-term care for not only the survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting, but their family, friends and the community at large.
“While they’ve bravely battled those mental health issues, they’re now faced with isolation and a lack of their support networks. While many people have seen their mental health deteriorate during this pandemic, it’s worse for those survivors and the community that also suffered.”
During Haunt Drive’s opening night on Oct. 8, locals have a chance to get a great deal and make an even bigger impact on the nonprofit. That night, the drive-through experience is $20-25 per car (no matter how many passengers). For each vehicle, $5 will be donated to Parkland Cares. Haunted Drive continues through October, with the price increasing to $35, $49 and then $60 on Halloween night. After Oct. 8, the Haunt Drive will donate 50 cents per car to Parkland Cares through Nov. 1.
“Every dollar we raise from the Haunt Drive goes into our grants,” Lewis says. “We’ve granted $575,000 to more than a half-dozen local mental health agencies that have provided trauma and long-term counseling. We want to continue to fund these agencies, and the Haunt Drive will enable us to get closer to that goal.”
Purchase Haunted Drive tickets here. To learn more about Parkland Cares fundraising events and sign up for the organization’s newsletter with mental health news, click here.
