ELORA – A new local costume shop is gearing up for a busy October, but is still finding time to do a Halloween fundraiser on a bigger scale than before.
Cathy Daultrey, owner of costume shop Once Upon A Guise, said opening a store like this is something she’s wanted to do for a long time. Daultrey has lived in Fergus for 20 years but opened the shop on Elora’s Geddes Street in August.
She said a big focus is on children’s dress-up play and this includes children with special needs as the store carries some adaptive costumes.
Adaptive costumes are more accessible due to different elements such as stretchy fabrics, longer inseams, more access openings and open back skirts for wheelchair users, and flap openings with self stick closures for tube access.
“We've been focusing on the imagination and the benefits to children’s dress up play, and we want to be able to include all children in that,” Daultrey said.
While Daultrey said there is business outside of this month, whether that be from teenagers needing props for home movies or retirement home workers renting costumes for a 50s themed day for their residents, she acknowledged Halloween is “the big one.”
This doesn’t mean there’s no time to give back. In fact it means a Halloween fundraiser first started by her daughter could be bigger than ever.
Four years ago, Daultrey explained her now 22-year-old daughter started a fundraiser, called Trick or Eat, where they would collect food and monetary donations for the CW Food Bank.
Monica Daultrey explained in a phone call she would distribute flyers to her Fergus neighbours ahead of time letting them know what the food bank needed before heading out with friends and family on Halloween to collect door-to-door.
“My parents always raised us to notice when people need a little bit of extra help and if you’re able to help them you should,” Monica said.
“The (CW) Food Bank doesn't just support Fergus or Elora, it supports a whole bunch of surrounding communities too so they need a lot of extra support from us.”
COVID cancelled the fundraiser last year but Once Upon A Guise will be collecting food and money donations along with donating a portion of rental sales this month.
“It’s really exciting because the scope of it can be so much larger,” Monica said.
“It’s not just limited to the few surrounding streets of our house anymore so I’m hoping we can get even more food and cash donations for the food bank and it can be our biggest year yet.”
Donations can be made in-store at 195 Geddes St. in Elora.