This Friday, I will be leading a group of ten lucky contest winners on an overnight camping trip in Blackwood Forest. We will be spending the spookiest night of the year away from civilization and under the boundless stars above. I have become quite fond of the forest since moving to Emerson Valley in 2019, which is really saying something for someone who grew up a die-hard city slicker.

There is so much to love about the unfettered wilderness that borders our town. While it can be a bit scary if you venture there alone in the dark, there’s really nothing to fear. Nothing can hurt you if you open yourself up to the power of the woods. I’ve been fortunate enough to survive numerous encounters with precarious terrain, stormy weather, and one really angry mountain lion. I’m not particularly athletic or intimidating, so if I’ve been able to return from the forest unharmed, it should be perfectly safe to go there.

The Gazette’s Halloween camping trip is being sponsored by the Raven Club, who have generously agreed to fund the event. Our group will meet in the parking lot of Raven Hall at 6 PM on October 31st and depart for Blackwood Forest from there. The night is sure to be filled with lots of laughs, a few tricks, and plenty of treats. I’m very excited for the opportunity to grow a little bit closer to nature and make some wonderful new friends.

-Martin Fitzgerald, Acting Editor-in-Chief, Emerson Valley Gazette