The Sparkettes of Montana say the land where they’ve hosted their annual Trail Of Terror fundraiser for the past 11 years has been sold, leaving the nonprofit organization scrambling to remove its structures and search for a new location before October.
The Sparkettes of Montana are a nonprofit baton twirling organization. Head coach Brianna Klinker said the organization received notice on February 12 that they would no longer be able to use the property and were given about 30 days to clear everything from the site.
“We got notice on the 12th that we no longer can use the land,” Klinker said. “It just gave us a short notice of 30 days to get everything off of it, which is a very short turnaround.”
For the Sparkettes, the Trail of Terror is more than a Halloween attraction - it is the organization’s largest fundraiser of the year.
“The Trail of Terror is our biggest fundraising event,” Klinker said. “Every year we make anywhere from $20,000 to $60,000. That lasts us through the whole year. This one month thing that we do allows us to be what we do each month.”
According to Klinker, the money raised during October help cover rent, utilities, property taxes, uniforms, and equipment for the girls in the program. She says the fundraiser allows them to keep monthly costs low for families and provide shared equipment so parents are not burdened with large expenses.
Without the Trail of Terror, Klinker says the program could face significant financial challenges.
The haunted attraction has evolved over more than two decades. The Sparkettes first hosted a haunted house at the fairgrounds before eventually moving to the current Trail of Terror location near 47th Street and 13th Avenue South, where they have operated for the last 11 years.
Brianna Juneau braved the Trail of Terror in October - watch:
Over that time, volunteers built more than a dozen themed structures using donated materials and community support. Many of the buildings were constructed piece by piece and cannot just be lifted and moved. Instead, they have to be dismantled board by board.
“Each one of those buildings has to be taken apart, screw by screw, nail by nail,” Klinker said.
Beyond fundraising, organizers say the Trail of Terror has become a community tradition.
“It doesn’t only bring our girls together in our organization, but it brings Great Falls’ entire community,” Klinker said. “People I have never met have messaged me and said, ‘Hey, when can I volunteer?’”
Each October, volunteers from local high schools, JROTC programs, families, and local businesses help build sets, create costumes, apply makeup, and even prepare meals for volunteers working the event.
Klinker said the group is grateful for the opportunity they had to use the land over the past decade and thankful for the continued support of the Great Falls community.
Now, the focus is on finding a new location in time for this fall.
“We want us to be open this year, and I’m hoping that we will,” Klinker said. “But we’re just not too sure what we’re going to do.”
The Sparkettes say they are searching for a suitable property to host the Trail of Terror in October and hope the tradition can continue.
If you would like to get in touch with the Sparkettes about helping, click here to visit their Facebook page, or send an email to Breezygirl04@msn.com.
