Creepy spiders, skeletons and ghostly figures lurk in the basement of a 91-year-old barn, and the Boys & Girls Club of Oak Harbor wants them there, at least for Halloween.

Each year the First Class Association from NAS Whidbey’s Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit (CNATTU) organizes and sets up the “Frightville” Haunted House in the Roller Barn.

“What they give us is priceless,” said Roosevelt Rumble, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club.  “They give their time and talent.”

The process of coming up with scary ideas actually begins in summer.

According to AT1(AW) Dustin Bozer, there are 12 spooky rooms and a door halfway through the maze for those who want to escape early. Props include a fog machine, Strobe lights and sound effects.

A kid’s matinee is set for Saturday, Oct. 30 from noon to 4 p.m. Cost is $3 for kids age 12 and under. Teens and adults can enter if they dare tonight and tomorrow from 7-10 p.m. with a $5 admission. It will be closed on Sunday, Oct. 31.

The Roller Barn is located at 98 NE Barron Drive. Bring a canned or nonperishable food item to donate for the North Whidbey Help House.

Upon request from the Boys & Girls Club, the First Class Association made their partnership official Oct. 12. They were recently recognized in October’s Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce newsletter “Business Voice” for also constructing a volleyball court and putting up basketball hoops for kids to enjoy.

“They made our summer program come alive,” said Rumble, referring to the athletic additions the First Class Association made possible.

AT1(AW) Ricky Jenkins, president of the 48-member First Class Association, said CNATTU is a strong advocate of community service.

“It gives us satisfaction knowing we are influencing young lives,” he said.

The association “promotes the fellowship and unity of its members while serving in the best interest of the Navy, all personnel attached to Whidbey Island, association members and the community.”

Since Marines are assigned to CNATTU, Staff Sergeants are welcome to join the First Class Association, too.

The word “active” is an understatement for these First Class Petty

Officers. They find time to volunteer throughout the year.

Once a month, they help clean up litter left at Deception Pass Park and wash the A-6 Intruder aircraft display at City Beach Park, an unpleasant job considering the number of seagulls there.

Last holiday, they donated $600 to the “Giving Tree,” benefiting less fortunate Oak Harbor families with new toys and clothes for Christmas.

Last October, when heavy rain caused the Skagit River to spill over its banks and threaten the Anacortes Water Treatment Plant, they were out there sandbagging with over 100 other NAS Whidbey personnel.

When the Whidbey Animals’ Improvement Foundation in Coupeville sought volunteers for a recent landscaping project, CNATTU First Class Association answered the call. They also pitch in as a group with Habitat for Humanity, the American Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life and putting together Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets at North Whidbey Help House.

“They are a big part of the success of this organization,” said Rumble, himself a retired Navy man and knows the military demands these Sailors have on the job. “On behalf of myself and the kids, we really appreciate them.”