On Saturday afternoon, Marram Health Center continued one of its most popular traditions – its annual Trunk-or-Treat, hosted near its Gary location and across from Indiana University Northwest.
The event, hosted each year for close to a decade now, sees Marram employees and members of other organizations around the community fill a parking lot, decorate the trunks of their vehicles for Halloween, and pass out candy to every child who stops by. Some of the even more festive individuals wear costumes and give out bags full of goodies.
“This is a day where we can give back to the community,” said Etha Lasenby, community outreach and insurance enrollment coordinator. “It’s a fun and safe way for the kids to get out and do some trick-or-treating instead of going door-to-door. They really seem to enjoy it. We get a good turnout every year.”
Part of Marram’s stated mission is to “enhance the quality of life” in its community. Their day-to-day work providing quality care, regardless of an individual’s ability to pay, is just one part of how they fulfill that mission.
“Most of the people that are here right now are actually patients of our clinic,” Lasenby said. “We always want to get involved in the community, and find ways to thank our patients for letting us serve them.”
Marram recruits a variety of community partners to join in on the fun each year. Other healthcare organizations such as NorthShore Health Centers took part, as well as groups such as the Gary Literacy Coalition. Even a representative from the Indiana Department of Health, Karina Buenavideas, filled her trunk with candy while dressing up as Disney’s Maleficent.
“It’s important for me to give back because I am from the Region, and I did grow up in a primarily minority community being Mexican,” Buenavideas said. “These are my people, this is my community. I think it’s important to provide this safe space where kids can come and feel comfortable trick-or-treating. When you see their smiles, it’s extremely satisfying – it’s priceless.”
Another organization on hand was the Gary Chapter of the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club – a Black motorcycle club with over 120 chapters across the country. The Chapters second Vice President Robert “Top” Cook joined his chapter members in passing out candy to every child.
“This is what we do, stuff in the community,” he said. “We do scholarships for college, fundraisers for Veterans Village, and Brother’s Keeper. Stuff in the community that keeps the city going, that’s what we take care of – and we love the kids. Kids are everything. Most of us being parents and grandparents ourselves, having them come out and enjoy themselves in a safe environment is everything. It's beautiful.”
To learn more about Marram Health Centers, visit marramhealth.org.
