Glenpool Veteran Turns Love Of Halloween Into Support For Overseas Soldiers

A veteran in Glenpool uses his love of Halloween to help soldiers overseas.

He’s created a Halloween scene in his front yard, all made to scare people, make them smile and hopefully inspire them to donate to Broken Arrow Blue Star Mothers.

Welcome to your Halloween House of Horrors.

“Usually it is in my mind. My imagination goes wild,” said creator Cory Stead.

Weirdly enough, this place is for kids and created by Stead but people here in Glenpool know him as The Halloween Guy.

“Last year I had a mom she had two kids in wheelchairs- they were disabled and every day they drove by here. It just- they loved it. That right there is enough for me for the work I do in the yard," said Stead.

Stead has a unique story. In 2013, he was medically discharged from the Army. PTSD kicked in and he needed a healthy escape. He wanted to help his community, he loves Halloween and has a bit of a sick and twisted sense of humor. This is all starting to make sense now, isn't it?

"I have done my time, I have done my service overseas and now I am serving still but here in the state side serving kids and everything and bringing joy to their life," said Stead.  

This year Stead partnered with Broken Arrow Blue Star Mothers.

"We are all mothers of sons or daughters who are either currently serving or have served," said Susan Thesenvitz with Broken Arrow Blue Star Mothers. "We pack and ship boxes every month to troops deployed overseas."

One of Stead’s friends works over at Glenpool High School. He told students and teachers about what Stead was doing and then dropped off this envelope full of letters to be sent overseas to soldiers.

This place is creepy, but we all get to find our ways of making life a little better for each other. This is how Cory does it!

Stead is asking people who come to see his house, to bring a donation. That donation can be monetary, or any of these items: canned pasta, ready-to-eat soup, canned fruit, unscented baby wipes (resealable package), crew socks, eye wash or eye drops, individual sized trail mix, individual size beef jerky, small packages of Advil or Tylenol and individually wrapped candy or gum.

To learn more about Broken Arrow Blue Star Mothers, you can visit their website here.