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Students design "Hallowheels" costumes for children who use wheelchairs

October 24, 2019

Hallowheels fist-bump

The "Hallowheels" competition - a fundraiser in which 24 teams, including two from Roanoke College, create Halloween costumes for children who use wheelchairs - takes place this weekend.

Costumes will be revealed and presented to children on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Roanoke County. Online voting for "Best Costume," with requests for donations, begins Sunday, Oct. 27, on the Hallowheels website and continues through Nov. 3. The team whose costume raises the most funds will be declared the winner on Nov. 3.

Hallowheels is sponsored by Children's Assistive Technology Service (CATS), a Virginia organization that helps provide children whose families have limited resources, with pediatric rehabilitation equipment and assistive technology devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, hearing aids and adaptive seating.

Roanoke College is participating for the first time, with two teams headed by Paitten St. Laurent ’21 and Lo White ’21.Teams from eight other colleges and universities, and one community group, are competing as well. They include: Randolph College (returning 2018 champion), University of Lynchburg (returning 2017 champion), Radford University Carilion (formerly Jefferson College of Health Sciences), Virginia Tech, University of  Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, ECPI University, South University and the Mountain Artisan Barn.

The competition kicked off Sept. 21 with meet-and-greets held in the Roanoke, Lynchburg, Charlottesville and Richmond areas. Teams met with their assigned child and planned a costume design, which must include a removable frame of PVC pipe.

The Hallowheels costume reveal in the Roanoke area will take place Saturday, Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to noon in the fellowship hall of the Church of the Holy Spirit, 6011 Merriman Road, Roanoke, Virginia. Online voting for "Best Costume," with photos and requests for donations begins Sunday, Oct. 26. Click here to donate!