Halloween decoration causes complaints

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (WWLP) - A Halloween decoration in South Hadley became a cause for concern for one parent who's calling it offensive.

We received viewer mail from a concerned parent in South Hadley who drove by this decoration on Rt. 116 daily.

The decoration was part of the Trail of Terrors Walking Trail, a Halloween fundraising event organized by Ron Mastorakis. 

The parent, who wished to remain anonymous, told 22News the life size prop of a man in an electric chair was off-base and not appropriate for children. Mastorakis says he never meant for the decoration to be offensive and used the prop to hold up signs advertising the event.

Mastorakis explained, “It's a great opportunity for the boy scouts to get involved with the community, to raise a little bit of money, to have a nice fundraiser. To raise canned goods for Neighbors Helping Neighbors who need canned goods also, it's done out of fun. I'd never had done it to try to offend anybody.”

Members of the South Hadley Boy Scouts Troop 303 have been helping Mastorakis put together the Trail of Terror walk for the last three years.

This year, the event raised hundreds for the local troop and collected close to 200 canned goods for the South Hadley food pantry, Neighbors Helping Neighbors.