By Bill Sherman
ALTAMONT — Mortimore Blackstone’s Haunted Mansion is coming to the Altamont fairgrounds with a promise that, "We can make you wet your pants!"

Peggy Were, co-coordinator of the event, made the promise when describing the haunted house she and her sister have planned this Halloween season.

Were and Elaine Person organized the haunted house in an effort to raise money for disaster relief for the victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Person, who also serves as executive director of Clowns on Rounds, said she was asked to start a Capital Region chapter of Red Nose Relief.
Red Nose Relief was established by several clowns who work on the staff of CNN. According to the organization’s website, www.rednoserelief.org, as the disaster from Katrina became more apparent, the "clown community" wanted to help in some way. The result was Red Nose Relief, a "grass-roots effort by the members of the clown community around North America."
Person said each year Clowns on Rounds hosts a haunted house at the Capital District Apple Festival to raise money for their volunteer efforts in local hospitals and nursing homes. The haunted house at the festival is their "monsters be nice" version so children of all ages can participate.

Person and Were decided to charge it up a bit on the scare meter for the current fund-raiser. However, Were pointed out that she will tell her monsters to be nice if youngsters want to join in the fun.
For those with a weak heart, Were said her monsters will gladly provide guided tours with their masks off. In either case, the haunt will be a "non-bloody, non-gory haunted house," Were said.
Without giving away their techniques, Were said it is the element of surprise they focus on when scaring people. "Don’t worry, it will be very scary," Were said.

In addition to the haunted house, there will be clowns performing magic tricks and providing face-painting; there will also be pumpkin-painting and bouncy-bounce rides. No clowns will be in the haunted house in costume; only monsters are allowed, Person said.

Admission into the haunted mansion is $7 for adults and $5 for children eight and under. Person also said discount coupons are available at local businesses or at www.clownsonrounds.com. Person said the goal is to raise $25,000 for the victims of the hurricanes.
Both Person and Were said they want to fill in the gaps where the major organizations such as the Red Cross can’t reach. "Our intention is that we know where the money goes and to see what it brings directly," Person said.

The haunted mansion will be open October 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30. The hours are: Friday from 5 to 9 p.m.; Saturday from noon to 9 p.m.; and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m.

Person said they are happy with the community’s response. Many organizations, including the Altamont Fair Board, Guilderland High School, and Verizon have provided volunteers and other in-kind services to cut down on the operating costs.

They are still looking for volunteers to help in a variety of areas. Their most pressing need is a DJ for the weekends. People interested in helping can call Were at 768-2895 or e-mail her at [email protected].
Person said Red Nose Relief will also provide support to victims of other natural disasters around the world. In addition to raising money for recovery efforts, the organization also provides guidelines and training to the clowning "volunteers who work with other humanitarian organizations while administering a unique form of comic relief." Currently Red Nose Relief is working with the American Red Cross.