For Two Alpharetta Men, Halloween Is Chance To Give Back

For the past six years friends Jonathan Pierce and Eric Reid have worked together to bring a night of fright to the North Atlanta area with the goal of raising money and awareness for the American Cancer Society.

The Pierce family began hosting a Halloween bash in 1992 while living in Fountain Valley, California. Upon moving to the Alpharetta area in 2004, Jonathan became involved with the American Cancer Society and saw an opportunity to combine the annual holiday party with a cause near and dear to him.

“The party is hosted in a private home in the Country Club of Roswell.  One of the huge benefits is that it is central to Alpharetta, Johns Creek and Roswell, which are the three main cities that host a Relay for Life event in this area,” explains Pierce, “The guests we draw really come from all over North Atlanta but especially from these three cities. We typically expect from 50 to 100 people.  

Jonathan says that because the event tends to compete with more traditional Halloween parties some guests drop in, donate to the cause and then move on while others stay and party the night away.

"We are very casual; it is all very friendly and we're always just grateful for anyone who comes.  And its an open invitation every year; anyone is more than welcome," concludes Pierce.

Eric Reid recognizes that there a many worth causes but cancer is something that he and friend Jonathan can both relate to.

“We have all been touched by cancer in some way. Jonathan experienced the loss of his grandfather and a close childhood friend, and I have three survivors in my extended family and have lost a grandmother,” says Reid. “We work with the American Cancer Society because they fund research into all types of cancer, fundraise around the world, and run so many programs that actively help cancer survivors.  They focus on research, treatment and prevention of cancer.  And they do it effectively.”

Pierce says that while his family hosts the party each year,  about a half-dozen core people volunteer to make it possible year after year. Word-of-mouth and additional support from all over the  Alpharetta, Roswell and Johns Creek areas have also played a hand in the event’s continued success.

While there is no cover to attend, nor is there a charge for food and beverages, a silent auction is held to raise money. Pre-event donations are also collected for the American Cancer Society’s' Relay for Life in the Spring. At the end of the night, all money collected goes straight to the American Cancer Society.

“In all honesty, the numbers we see are not huge, but for us its as much about engaging people with the cancer issue in America and introducing them to everything the American Cancer Society does; which is quite a lot,” says Pierce.

This year’s event, which was held Saturday night, was considered a success even though the total amount raised has yet to be calculated. It takes several days to complete the accounting and donations are still being collected. Beyond raising money, Jonathan says the major goal of night is getting people interested in the cause and enlisting support for future activities.

“In that we were very successful,” said Pierce.

What’s in future for what has been deemed “Halloween NightMare”?

“We will definitely keep doing this every year and we hope to grow it and improve it every year,” says Pierce.

“We have been recently talking about possibly moving the event to a third-party venue.  We have always chosen not to do this for safety and logistical reasons; just to maintain more control over the environment.  But, we plan on putting our feelers out on that one," he said.  "In the mean time, though, we'll just enjoy the ride and be grateful for the passionate young people that Alpharetta, Roswell, and Johns Creek are home to.”

Visit the American Cancer Society website to learn how you can show your support.