Haunted Hayrack Fund

Specific Need

Leaving a legacy for the community by giving back in the form of scholarships to students, support to local groups, & community members facing hardships 

Mission

Our mission is simple: Keep the Halloween spirit alive and keep giving back to the community we love.

Profile

Most people know that the Haunted Hayrack Rides happen around Halloween every year.  What most people don’t know are the details that went into the Haunted Hayrack Rides.  The Haunted Hayrack Rides were started in 2010 by Joe and Marty Parthemer.  They originally started the rides to raise money for the new swimming pool.  After a couple of years, and the rides grew larger and larger, a committee was formed.  The committee currently consists of Scott & Kelli Parthemer, Lanny Ahlvers, Lonny Hardwick, David Wessel, Blake & Heather White, & David Broxterman.  In the past, the committee has set routes, found the volunteers, set up the park and props in areas where there aren’t volunteers, gathered props, cleaned the park after the rides, etc.  We’ve had over 1900 riders over 2 weekends in the past. 

A few years back, the committee opted to retire the beloved hayrack ride and introduce a spooky walking trail instead. The decision stemmed from a noticeable drop in volunteer numbers, which made it difficult to operate the hayrack ride safely.  Our hope is to keep the Halloween spirit alive through this new tradition—so we can continue giving back to our community in fun, meaningful ways.

So where does the money raised from the Haunted Hayrack Fund go?  Good question! 

• To date we’ve donated over $70,000 to various organizations and needs in our community.  These organizations include (but aren’t limited to) the Cub Scouts, Wildcat Booster Club, Frankfort Janes, Frankfort Food Pantry, FFA, After Prom, 4-H, local cemeteries, Youth Fund, Catholic Heart Camp and more.    
• Beyond organizations, the fund has helped enhance our shared spaces—such as purchasing two picnic tables in memory of Shanae Smart and new trash cans for the park
  
• Every year, we identify families in our community facing hardships—whether due to medical challenges, house fires, or other unexpected struggles—and offer financial support to help ease their burden.

• We are very proud to offer scholarships to local high school students to support their future educational goals. These scholarships help ease the financial burden of college or vocational training, and reflect our commitment to empowering the next generation. Every ticket purchased, every volunteer hour, and every donation helps make this possible.

• Some of the money we put back into the trail to purchase supplies & advertisement for the trail, porta pottys for the park, and candy for the littles.   

We have people that come from all over and enjoy what we offer.  The walking trail is held on the city ballfield grounds.  Our committee members & volunteers put in many hours to make it all possible, from the planning stage, set up, 2 nights of scaring, and the tear down all take a large amount of time, but we try hard to make it worth it for all to enjoy.  Our little town does some amazing things and we’re all blessed to be a part of it.

?? Thank You for Your Support
We appreciate all support that helps keep this event going strong. Whether it's volunteering your time, donating, or simply spreading the word—every bit helps us continue giving back to the community and keeping the Halloween spirit alive.