News

MOSES LAKE — It's time once again for the trick where area youngsters and their parents see the insides of their treats.

Samaritan Healthcare's radiology department offers free X-ray scans of candy Tuesday from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Samaritan Community Relations Coordinator Connie Opheikens said this is at least the 15th year the hospital's offered the scans.

"Parents seem to like it," she said. "Over the years, there's been times when we've had long lines, there's been times where there hasn't been a lot."

In the past few years there have not been as many participants, Opheikens said, probably due to the fact most people do their trick-or-treating downtown or at the high school, so they feel safe.

To Opheikens' knowledge, nothing has ever been found in the candy. But safety is not the total extent of the hospital's aim in offering the scans.

"It's a fun thing for the kids to do," she said. "We want kids to get used to coming to the hospital and having a good time, so that should they break their arm or something, they've already been through the radiology, they've already seen some of the fun things that happen. They're not afraid."

Radiology technicians dress up for the event, she said, and put children's' candy on a tray, occasionally putting in something metal, like a toy helicopter, to show the trick-or-treaters.

Questions technicians hear include things like whether the radiation is harmful (it isn't, and children are put back behind a screen for protection) or why the X-ray does not melt the candy, or what the machine is used for when not used for candy.

"It's a good learning experience for kids," Opheikens said. "Parents are as fascinated as the kids are."

Opheikens took her own grandson last year.

"He was just fascinated with the machine," she recalled. "He wanted to know how the machine worked."

Signs in the hospital lobby direct the way to the X-ray.

Opheikens encourages everyone to come down.

"It's a fun and educational way for kids to end trick-or-treating," she said. "It does not take very long. (Parents) just park out front, come in, bring the candy. We take care of all the rest for them."Halloween to the X-ray x-treme

By Matthew Weaver

Herald staff writer

MOSES LAKE — It's time once again for the trick where area youngsters and their parents see the insides of their treats.

Samaritan Healthcare's radiology department offers free X-ray scans of candy Tuesday from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Samaritan Community Relations Coordinator Connie Opheikens said this is at least the 15th year the hospital's offered the scans.

"Parents seem to like it," she said. "Over the years, there's been times when we've had long lines, there's been times where there hasn't been a lot."

In the past few years there have not been as many participants, Opheikens said, probably due to the fact most people do their trick-or-treating downtown or at the high school, so they feel safe.

To Opheikens' knowledge, nothing has ever been found in the candy. But safety is not the total extent of the hospital's aim in offering the scans.

"It's a fun thing for the kids to do," she said. "We want kids to get used to coming to the hospital and having a good time, so that should they break their arm or something, they've already been through the radiology, they've already seen some of the fun things that happen. They're not afraid."

Radiology technicians dress up for the event, she said, and put children's' candy on a tray, occasionally putting in something metal, like a toy helicopter, to show the trick-or-treaters.

Questions technicians hear include things like whether the radiation is harmful (it isn't, and children are put back behind a screen for protection) or why the X-ray does not melt the candy, or what the machine is used for when not used for candy.

"It's a good learning experience for kids," Opheikens said. "Parents are as fascinated as the kids are."

Opheikens took her own grandson last year.

"He was just fascinated with the machine," she recalled. "He wanted to know how the machine worked."

Signs in the hospital lobby direct the way to the X-ray.

Opheikens encourages everyone to come down.

"It's a fun and educational way for kids to end trick-or-treating," she said. "It does not take very long. (Parents) just park out front, come in, bring the candy. We take care of all the rest for them."