KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – It’s the scariest house on Claribel Street in Kaukauna.
The Banick’s decorated the outside of their house with animatronics and fog machines in a way that they had not done before.
7 year old Riley Banick is the mastermind behind what’s being called the Haunt on Claribel.
Alex Banick is Riley’s number two in the Operation, but first and foremost, his mom.
She tells FOX 11 this wasn’t just thrown together in a matter of weeks. Instead, the planning took many months.
“We bought the giant skeleton on July 15, that was like our jump day, if you didn’t get it then you weren’t gonna get it. So we’ve been planning the haunt since July and it’s super cool that it actually turned out the way that we wanted it to.”
They have 5 or 6 fog machines to go along with the animatronics.
As you can imagine, something like this costs a pretty penny.
“Front yard and side yard, we’ve put about, I’d say about $5,000 into it,” said Banick.
For as much as the Haunt on Claribel is about the spookiness of Halloween, the real reason lies with Alex’s father. A Vietnam War veteran who passed away in 2014.
David Zobel was a big fan of the holiday, with his last day at home coming on Halloween of 2013 before relocating for medical treatment.
“My dad was my number one supporter and he was diagnosed with lung cancer that spread throughout his body.” said Banick.
In memory of David, the Banick’s are asking for donations, with 50% of the proceeds going to the Wounded Warrior Project.
“Everytime he could, he would donate to the cause. So since he’s not here now, and we’re big enough now,” said Banick. “We want to finally introduce that and donate in his name to the Wounded Warrior Project because he would’ve did it anyway.”
A lesson from a father, passed down to his daughter, now given to Riley.
The display is staying up, and the chance to donate to the Wounded Warrior Project, through tomorrow.
