Something ghoulish this way comes

The workers at the annual Nightscare Production haunted house have their own coveted annual award: Who will be the first to make a visitor wet themselves?

"That's the one the kids go after the most," said Woody Rowley, vice president and casting director for Nightscare Production. "We have yet to have a year that someone didn't get it. We don't count kids; it has to be an adult, it has to be verified and there hasn't been a year yet (that someone didn't have an accident)…"

In fact, a new award had to be created last year, after a girl vomited in the parking lot because she was so scared, he said.

That's life when one lives in a house that's haunted.

It's the second year for the production as Nightscare, which originated as fund-raiser by the Columbia Basin Sand Commandoes to help with charities, and the ninth year overall.

"We've gotten better at putting the house on," Rowley said. "A lot better rooms, the make-up artists have gotten much better, the kids are designing the sets now, they've gotten much better at putting sets on, more detailed sets."

Half of the money raised in the haunted house go to local charities. The production also puts on a car show in the spring at the fairgrounds, in the effort to keep the kids involved, Rowley said.

"It gives the kids that a lot of people have given up on a chance to prove that they have something worthwhile to give, and they can express themselves without people looking down on them," Rowley said of the haunted house. "It gives them something to look forward to and take pride in every year."

More than 50 actors, plus security and make-up people, and ranging in age from their teens to their 30s, volunteer their time in the house located on Grant County Fairgrounds. (Just follow the sounds of the shrieks.)

The house is ranked 51st in the nation on a Web site that ranks haunted houses, out of 500-plus houses, Rowley said. Last year, the house ranked 79th, and he is hoping to break the 50 mark this year.

Rowley recommends that children aged 9 and up attend the house during what he termed "kids' hour," and said he wouldn't bring kids after 8 p.m.

"It gets pretty scary," he said. "We turn it up full bore after 8 p.m. We've got the clowns, and the chainsaw guy's there as always, and the zombies and vampires and all of the fun stuff that goes on at haunted houses."

Actors aren't allowed to touch visitors, and are trained to remain in character the entire time.

"No one wants to see someone standing there talking," Rowley said.

Community involvement is a large part of the production. Rowley said some of the actors will appear at a high school dance in costume to get pictures taken.

"Most of us in this house aren't rich people and we're never going to be able to give the big donation to all of these places," he said. "This is our way of trying to help out in the community as best we can, and give the kids a chance to have something they can be proud of and look forward to every year."