Area children got a chance to partake in early Halloween festivities at St. Andrews Thursday evening.

Patrons received candy from dressed up student-athletes and went through the haunted hallways of the St. Andrews gym as part of the carnival.

Other activities like fishing for candy and face painting were on site for children to take part in.

"We had the event to promote a safe place for the children of Laurinburg and Scotland County to come and trick-or-treat," said Rachelle Kenworthy, who is an organizer of the event. "We want to improve the relationship between St. Andrews and the community and asked them to come out and have a good time right before Halloween."

The St. Andrews Student Athletic Advisory Committee hosted the carnival.

"The SAAC committee is made up of student-athletes here on St. Andrews Campus," Kenworthy said. "Representatives from each team at St. Andrews got together to motivate their teams to decorate the hallways and provide a place for children to have a good time for Halloween."

One organizer of the carnival said that the student-athletes came together and worked hard to the job done. The student-athletes set up the carnival.

"I can honestly say that I have never had so much help in my life," said Chris Michela, who is the leader of SAAC. "Everyone put so much into this and it became such a success that I never would have thought it be."

Kenworthy agreed.

"I am very impressed with the quality of work that the athletes put in to this," she said. "It takes a lot of work in getting this type of thing together.

"We started decorating on Monday and didn't stopped until the first person arrived today," she said. "We had a good time with it but we wanted it to look good.

"We wanted the community to be proud of what we are doing here at St. Andrews."

At the carnival, the SAAC and the St. Andrews Athletic program asked each participant to bring in silver moneys to help the cause of Make a Wish Foundation.

"We asked each person to bring donate a piece of silver, whether it be, nickels, dimes or quarters and all proceeds will go to Make a Wish Foundation," Kenworthy said.

Michela said that everyone in SAAC is committed to help out with Make a Wish Foundation.

"I can describe it in one word," he said. "Commitment."

"Everyone is committed, we are meeting almost every week and everyone wants the same thing, we are working for the same goal and we are working hard toward helping out Make a Wish Foundation."

One St. Andrews student thought the event was a success.

"I think it's a great event for the community," said Justin Garton. "We had a great turn out and it was a really good event for the children."

One patron had a good time while at the carnival.

"It was fun," TJ Haywood, 9, said. "I liked that you got to go fishing the most."