Homegrown Raleigh haunted house provides plenty of scares, opportunity for teens to give back

Fright Nights, a homegrown effort created by a dad and a bunch of neighborhood kids to raise money for two nonprofits, opens its doors on Friday for some ... well ... frightful nights.

"The first year, we set up three little rooms in front of the garage that we did some scaring out of," Fountain said. "It wasn't really intended to be a haunted house at the time."

The first night, the two raised $750 and realized that if they did it on a larger scale they could raise even more money. What's more, they got a big infusion of help to make the haunted attraction even bigger - the neighborhood kids.

"The kids in the neighborhood are really what's made this grow," said Fountain, a stay at home dad and former teacher. "Once we started doing it, they said, 'We can help with this and help with that.' Pretty soon, we were building bigger props and bigger scare scenes."

This year, Fright Nights features Singing Pumpkins, the Hall of Horrors, the Tunnel of Terror, Zombie Attack, the Haunted Maze and, new this year, a Medical Escape Room. Activities for kids and a concession stand also will be on site. Costumes and someone to hold onto are welcomed, according to the event listing.

Fright Nights is run completely by volunteers - about 60 this year. Most of them are students at Athens Drive High School and Longleaf School of the Arts, a local charter high school.

"We have a post Halloween meeting every year and we ask them for ideas and things that worked and then I try to figure out how to do the things," Fountain said.

"Now that they are older, they are so much better at it and they are so much more able to help," he said. "They keep it going."

In fact, for the past six weeks, the teens have been coming over every Saturday to help build.

Fright Nights is open 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., Oct. 20, Oct. 21, Oct. 27 and Oct. 28. Parental discretion is advised on these nights. Fountain said he's seen kids as young as 8 walk through, but he'd recommend it more for ages 10 and up. But, he said, it's pretty scary. Sometimes the kids will look for the exit.

"And sometimes it's adults who want out too," Fountain said.

Not-So-Scary Days are 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., Oct. 23 and Oct. 24. Fountain said these days are designed for any age.

"We just turn on the lights and music and walk them through and tell them where people would be scaring," he said. "If they want to see something, depending on the kid and the age, we'll show it to them."

Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. All of the money collected go to either the food bank or the Duke family support program. A donation as small as $10 can provide 50 meals to people in our community or help a sick child get a bone marrow transplant, according to Fright Night's website. The group hopes to raise $5,000 this year.

Fountain loves Halloween. He said it's probably his favorite holiday. But he doesn't let the holiday completely take over his life just to set up some creepy scenes or see people freak out because of his creations. It's because of those neighborhood kids.

"They are learning a lesson and, more importantly, they are wanting to help other people," he said. "That's been the real reason it's worth it."