Trick-or-Treat, Safe and Sweet!

It all started in the 1980s when local Laker parents had an influx of over 100 trick-or-treaters. As the years went on, the numbers climbed. Local resident Lauren Brickner-McDonald noticed more and more families flooding into “The Village,” a picturesque neighborhood in town, ideal for the Halloween tradition.   

“While trick-or-treating with my children, I witnessed a youngster whose costume was brushed by a car, nearly hitting her,” says Brickner-McDonald. “As a member of the Traffic and Safety Committee, I reached out to the Mountain Lakes Police Department for solutions that would ensure the safety of trick-or-treaters. By the following Halloween, the department provided the neighborhood with barricades, street closures to cars, traffic control, and police presence,” she says. 

As the number of treat seekers climbed, the coordination among residents rose as well. “Now we had a name: The Halloween Safe Zone,” says Brickner-McDonald.  

“The numbers became staggering and somewhat taxing to the residents. The organizers decided to begin counting trick-or-treaters,” says Brickner-McDonald. The group started to ‘click and graph’ the numbers and now has 20 years of graphs noting the day of the week, weather, temperature, and peak trick-or-treating times. Both Lauren and her husband Bob Brickner-McDonald enjoy keeping track of the stats each year. 

The numbers continued to climb and the count increased from 586 to over 1,000 by 2014, to the all-time high of 1,326 in 2017. In 2025, the count was 1,301. “These numbers are only for trick-or-treaters—although many adults join in the Halloween festivities with elaborate costumes. The Safe Zone is a lively place,” says Brickner-McDonald. 

A Coordinated Effort 

In early October, the committee reaches out to Mountain Lakes residents asking for donations of candy and treats. There are drop points throughout the town at the Mountain Lakes Library, Mountain Lakes Borough Hall, and a trailer at Wildwood School (the week prior to Halloween). Volunteers gather to count the number of treats and divide by participating houses. 

“Treats are then available for Safe Zone homes to pick up a few days prior to Halloween,” says Brickner-McDonald.  

The successful event requires dedicated planning. Safe Zone is mapped out in August with collection boxes, publicity to residents, and communication to the Safe Zone residents. 

“Confirming a home for collection drop-off from the Library and MLPD, the Maker Space starts working on this year’s creation, and the teal pumpkin project buckets are confirmed for trick-or-treaters who cannot take part in candy or sweets,” says Brickner-McDonald. 

The Teal Pumpkin Project in Mountain Lakes has been headed by Erin McQuillan since 2019. McQuillan gathers donations and non-food treats to fill the teal buckets. 

“Under the guidance of Ian Matty, Christine Kelly and Richard He, Maker Space creates a 3D one-of-a-kind Teal Pumpkin toy for the Safe Zone. Last year’s glow-in-the-dark robot was a big hit,” says Brickner-McDonald.  

Library Director Jennifer Lynch (along with all the librarians) supports the event with a town collection site at the library. Brickner-McDonald is grateful for all the help. “Last year we had over 12,000 pieces donated there. Another neighbor, Heather Hornyack, delivers the candy for storage to a home in the Safe Zone until the Halloween countdown,” Brickner-McDonald says. 

It definitely takes a village to pull off such a well-oiled Halloween machine. “Over the years, I have coordinated the event,” says Brickner-McDonald. “A neighbor, MaryEllen Theel, has coordinated with me for years. In 2025, Jessica Bickham and Emily Nagler have taken on more coordinating and communicating with the schools, neighbors and residents. Another neighbor, Heather Hornyack, delivers the candy for storage to a home in the Safe Zone until the Halloween countdown,” she says.  

In addition, a neighborhood garage serves as the counting place where Safe Zone treats are distributed to the homes in the zone. Residents even sign up for shifts of “candy watching,” and each household in the Safe Zone picks up their candy.