Friday marked the inaugural Boo Bash Obstacle Dash at the Mexico Area Family YMCA. This Halloween-themed event welcomed over 100 kids for a glow in the dark maze, Leapfrog inflatable obstacle course, spooky themed games and more. 

Some of the inflatable decorations were purchased by the YMCA to be used for future events all thanks to the generosity of their sponsors. Everything else was made out of anything the YMCA had in their closets. 

One of the main attractions, a glow-in-the-dark tunnel was a bunch of duct taped cardboard boxes and tablecloths put together by the staff.

“We made an expert level fort and lined it with glow sticks and it’s awesome,” says Brooke Oliver, executive director of the Mexico Area Family YMCA. “We are most proud that we see a lot of kids using it because it reminds us of our childhood.”

In addition to the regular YMCA staff who wore their referee costumes were four Mexico High School volunteers there to provide additional support: Rynn Duncan, Zellen Duncan, Ava Schrier and Logan Mumford.

“We have four high school helpers from our youth and government program here helping the kiddos through the obstacle courses and with some of the games so we're thankful to them,” says Oliver.

While Oliver had a huge hand in this event’s organization, she lends much of the credit to group fitness coordinator Megan Fouch and her creative vision.

“It was a good collaboration between Brooke and I,” says Fouch. “We do a lot of youth sports and things but we wanted to do something for the kids around a fun time that they were excited about.”

Fouch is a mom of four between the ages of nine and almost three so while she mostly works with adults at the YMCA, she likes to promote the value in physical activity for children.

“We just figured we wanted to still be active in the theme with the YMCA so that’s why we thought of an obstacle course and glow and the dark and costumes and all of the fun stuff,” she said.

And fun it was with children screaming with delight as they tore through the obstacle courses in their halloween costumes.   

“I think watching the parents watch the kids is some of the most fun. It’s all hands on deck, that's for sure,” says Oliver 

The event was free for YMCA members and $5 for non-members and the hope is that Boo Bash will be here to stay for years to come.

“We’re hoping that this will become an annual tradition and something that we can keep using all the things that these great sponsors were able to provide for us because without them it wouldn't be as nice as what it is today that's for sure,” says Fouch.  

The sponsors that helped support this event, its decorations and even a few free entries includes CarQuest Auto Parts, Gold Crest, Slumberland Furniture, The Law Office of Kristin L. Arnold, LLC, First State Community Bank, Home Bank, Mexico Missouri Jaycees, State Farm-Nancy Baca, Peoples Savings Bank, Commerce Bank and Century 21.