It’s only 87 days to Halloween. Only, you say? Well, if you’re trying to put together Austin’s biggest charity haunted house, that’s not a log time to send out the call to all the boils and ghouls. So local cancer charity Scare for a Cure is holding its annual kick-off and volunteer drive today.

Now Scare for a Cure is completely run by volunteers (headed up by none other than APD Detective Jarrett Crippen (AKA The Defuser from Sci Fi channel’s Who Wants to Be a Superhero.) Even though Crippen has put together one of the region’s most impressive interactive haunts every year since 2007, he needs a lot of help every year. So today they are looking for:

Build crew (experience welcomed but not required)

FX (special effects) team

Fundraising

Food committee

Makeup

Costuming

Actors

Guides

Techs

General assistance

Ticket sales

Merchandise sales

Which means they’re probably looking for you. The auditions and volunteer sign-up runs from 2pm to 6pm, Sat. Aug. 4, at the Elks Lodge, 700 Dawson (just off Barton Springs.) Find out more about what you’ll be helping with at their volunteer FAQ.

After several years out at gaming icon Richard Garriott’s place in the Hill Country, this year the haunt will be out at J. Lorraine Ghost Town in Manor. But don’t break out your cowboy hat too soon: This year’s theme is summer camp massacre. For more info, to buy tickets, or even just donate to the cause, visit www.scareforacure.org.

This article appears in August 3 • 2012.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US

The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.