
Scary Creatures on the Front Field of the Himalayan Institute Campus
by Steven Coraor
Ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and…yogis? This Halloween, the Himalayan Institute opened its doors and became the Haunted Walke Asylum thanks to Honesdale High School’s Interact Club. More than 300 people came out to the Himalayan Institute campus on Sunday, October 25th, to experience the event and support Interact’s mentoring program for elementary school children in need. This raised nearly $2000 for the cause and encouraged the club to repeat the performance on Sunday, November 1st.
In addition to raising money for a great cause, the true success story of the Haunted Walke Asylum is the community involvement that it has rallied. The Interact Club, which is affiliated with Honesdale Rotary, brought together about 45 students and a ton of enthusiasm to transform the usually tranquil Himalayan Institute campus on Bethany Turnpike into an infested madhouse. “We had searched for a place to have the event and the Himalayan Institute offered its grounds,” said Bethany Reynolds, Honesdale High School Interact member, “with the barn and the campus surroundings, it was just perfect—we really appreciated their support.”
A number of local businesses in Honesdale generously donated to the event including Apple Day Spa & Salon, Wayne Memorial Hospital, Rent-E-Quip, and Bold Gold Media Group, Woodloch, Jeff George Design, The Dime Bank, Wayne Bank, Gillow Construction to name a few.
Many individuals from around the area contributed their talent and time to make the Walke a success. Breathing life into the infamous Dr. Walke was local Gastroenterologist, Dr. David Reynolds, M.D. Graeme McDonnell, a former lighting shop owner from New York City now living in Honesdale, supplied an unbelievable amount of lighting and time. So much, in fact, that every amp at the Institute was used and a neighbor generously allowed the club use of his porch for spotlights in the front field. Chris Peroni, a screen writer, film director and owner the Old Wayne Curio Shop now living in Bethany, brought training and theatrics to the production—the kids loved it. About a dozen residents at the Himalayan Institute pitched in as well, becoming zombies, directing traffic, or helping to string more than a mile of electrical cable throughout the campus.
Brian Fulp, past president of Honesdale Rotary and one of the coordinators of the Walke, has lived at the Himalayan Institute with his family for over 10 years. He was amazed at the outpouring of community support around the Haunted Walke Asylum and appreciative of the connection it created between the Himalayan Institute and the community of Honesdale. “I can’t remember the last time we had 300 residents of Wayne County visit the Institute for a community fundraising event, it was great!” says Fulp. “It really shows how far the Institute has come over the last few years in creating a link with the community.”
It is the Himalayan Institute’s goal to continue building that link. Ever since the opening of HI’s Yoga Café on Main Street in Honesdale, a growing connection with the greater community has developed. Many participants at the Walke said that they enjoy the Café, take Yoga classes there, and appreciate the other activities it offers like dancing and open mic performances. Hosting the Haunted Walke Asylum both supports a great local cause and shares Himalayan Institute’s main campus with the community: something HI looks forward to doing more of in the future.
If you’d like to experience the insanity for yourself, please come this Sunday, November 1st, between 6-9 p.m. to the Himalayan Institute’s main campus on Rt. 670 in Bethany. Also, if you’d like more information about how to get involved with future Interact or Honesdale Rotary projects, visit www.honesdalerotary.com or call Brian Fulp at 570-647-5548.








