It’s that time of year again… Halloween is fast approaching!  The Smiths Falls Accessibility Advisory Committee will once again be participating in the “TreatAccessibly” initiative. TreatAccessibly is aimed at making trick or treating accessible to all children, including those with a disability or special needs.

The initiative was established in 2017 when an Ontario family realized that there were children in their own neighbourhood who could not trick or treat because they were in wheelchairs.  The family took it upon themselves to change that.  They developed lawn signs to indicate that they would accommodate children with both visible and invisible disabilities.  The initiative took off and there are now over 100,000 participating homes across Canada.  The goal is to have over 400,000 homes across Canada participating by 2025. Let’s live up to our Smiths Falls slogan, “rise at the Falls” and rise to the opportunity to contribute to this goal!

The Accessibility Advisory Committee is asking residents of Smiths Falls to pick up a FREE lawn sign, supplied by REMAX and place it on their lawn one week prior to Halloween and leave it up on Halloween night to indicate that your house can accommodate children with disabilities. You can pick up the signs at the Smiths Falls Memorial Community Centre or at the REMAX store at 59 Beckwith St N, Smiths Falls starting Friday October 20th. Members of the Community are also encouraged to print their own lawn sign, you can find the lawn sign for printing at https://www.treataccessibly.com/ 

There are many ways to make your trick or treat setup accessible to ALL children.  It could be as simple as handing out treats from the end of the driveway for easy wheelchair access, being able to turn off flashing lights for children with sensory challenges and avoiding decorations that make sudden movements or noises that some children could be sensitive to. 

Let’s work together as a proud Smiths Falls community to make Halloween fun and inclusive for everyone. 

The Accessibility Advisory Committee thanks you!