Once again Cox Hill will rise to the occasion of its reputation for scaring your socks off. Our ninth annual fall festival has gotten so much bigger, that we had to extend it to two weekends this year. Our fall festival is set for Oct. 26 and 27 and Nov. 2 and 3 with all events starting at 7 p.m. We will have games for the kiddies, fun treats, entertainment by DJ Nate-Dog, and of course, the Famous Haunted Trail Ride. We have added so many more scenes this year that will absolutely freak you out. Admissions to the festival is $5 to get in and $1 for the frail ride.

As you know, all Cox Hill Fall Festivals have been done as benefits to help people who need a little help to get on their feet or to help someone who has had difficulty with an illness. This year, we have three people who are in need of our help and we were more than happy to help.

The first person I would like to mention needs a marker for where he is buried and that’s what some of this money is going toward. He holds a very special place in my heart and though he is gone, he is always remembered, my son, Landon. Landon was born 4-18-1996 with multiple congenital anomalies. In other words, “multiple birth defects.” There were so many things wrong with him when he was born that there wasn’t just one diagnosis for it. There was never any indication that anything was wrong during my whole pregnancy. I already had a normal healthy 2-year-old daughter. He was so sick that he had to have numerous surgeries and around-the-clock health care while at home. On Jan. 25, 1997, Landon passed away. He was only 9 months old. My whole world fell apart and I was just in awe of what was going on. Being a young mother, or at any age, losing a baby is so tough when you go through the whole 9 months of carrying that baby and to lose it just before you ever really get to know him or her is extremely devastating. But there is not a day that passes that I don’t take the time to tell him that his mommy loves and misses him very much. He is my angel in heaven and I will someday see him and he won’t be suffering.

As I mentioned before, there are three people that will benefit from our annual fall festival. The next person is also someone who is in my family, my husband’s uncle, W.R. Cox. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier in the summer and in August had surgery to remove the cancer. His last doctor’s visits confirm that the cancer is completely gone but he is still having difficulty with the healing process.

Last but not least, Ms. Vicky Halford will also benefit from our festival. To anyone that knows Ms. Vicky, knows that we all call her Aunt Vicky. She has been suffering from a neck injury for three years that caused her not to be able to work. She is a wonderful person and very active in our church. She is a Sunday School teacher, helps with directing the children’s plays, helps with children’s church, and is a member of the choir. We are extremely proud that we could help these people who are in need of our help. Everyone needs a little help to make it through and it’s great to live in a place where you can count on your community and not to mention your family and friends. We hope to see you on Oct. 26 and 27 and Nov. 2 and 3 for some fun-filled fun and a horrifying experience in the woods. I personally will see you back on the trail if you dare to take a ride.

Crystal Warren is an Adams County fundraiser.