Bring Food, Get Spooked at Old Mill Grove Halloween House

Todd and Mickey Horndasch's home has always been the fun one to visit on Halloween in the Old Mill Grove neighborhood. It started with the Horndasch's dressing up to answer the calls of tricker treaters. Then they started added some spooky decor to their living room, and every year the ghouls grew. The ghost and goblins now fill the front yard and have spilled into the garage. 

"Ever since we were kids, we loved Halloween. We love spooky stuff, scary movies," Mickey said. "When Todd was a kid, he would decorate his parents' foyer. I had decals in the window, because we lived in an apartment."

"With a house you can go all out. We always have good candy too. Todd's a candy addict and if there are leftovers, he wants something he likes," Mickey said. Some of their favorites are Snickers and Twix.

The Horndasch's started the Halloween food drive a few years ago. This weekend, Oc. 27 and 28, as well as on Halloween, revelers can stop at the house, at 115 Old Mill Grove Rd., for a tour and are asked to bring a can of food for people or pets. The canned goods will be donated to St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry in Lake Zurich and Nina's Pet Food Pantry, which is part of Young at Heart Pet Rescue.

Mickey said the Halloween display wasn't that costly to build as they put together most features themselves. The towering ghoul Myron -- yes, all creatures are named-- was put together with PVC pipe, bed sheets and skull bones. 

The Horndasch's enjoy creating unique ghouls. Todd said they aren't ever quite satisfied with any of the store bought creatures; they always have to change something. 

The couple seem to have a perfect combination of skills to create a grand Halloween display. Mickey has creative skills as a musem curator at the Arlington Heights Historical Society, as well as an anthropology teacher at the College of Lake County. Todd works for Arlington Heights Public Works and is skilled at constructing the displays. 

The Horndasch house had about 400 people come through last year and they expect at least that many last year.

"The more the better as we can get more donations for the food pantries," Mickey said. 

Check out the Horndasch Halloween house and don't forget to bring some goodies for the needy.