SPRING GROVE, Minnesota (STPNS) -- Have you heard the legend of the haunting of the Spring Grove Soda Pop factory? Each year as the leaves begin to change color, strange noises start to be heard in and around the factory building.

Owner, Dawn Hansen, said she has heard odd noises that can?t be explained and paperwork and supplies have been moved and no one claims to have done it. What could it be?

    Is the Spring Grove Soda Pop factory haunted or is this just an urban legend? Well, perhaps it is just a legend. However, the pop factory will truly be haunted on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26 and 27, and again on Halloween, Oct. 31, during its spooky tour of the pop factory.



    ?Halloween is my most favorite time of the year,? explained Hansen. ?I love to dress up and become someone different.?

The first year that she and her husband, Bob, owned the pop factory, she had a small Halloween display outside on the sidewalk where she was a live spook handing out candy. The second year, she was out of town. The third year, last year, they had a small spook house inside the pop factory.

    ?After last year, we decided that it would be fun to expand on the spook house and make it bigger and better,? she explained. ?And we decided if we were going to do it that it would be for a charitable organization so that someone could benefit from it.?

    Proceeds from this year will be donated to the Spring Grove High School cheerleaders to help them finish purchasing their uniforms and pom-poms. Next year if there is a group, such as a 4-H or youth group or booster group, that wants to take over running the haunted house, they could receive the proceeds.

        The haunted house will be open from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on all three days. It costs $2 to get in. They do plan to make it scary and suggest that it would be appropriate for children 12 years of age and older.

However, if a parent feels their younger child can handle it and would like to accompany them through the haunted house, they can do that as well.

?Please know what your child can handle,? advised Hansen. Escorts will also be available to walk children through the spooky tour if they so desire.

Candy will be handed out at the door on Halloween to everyone stopping by even if they are not entering the spooky tour.

    The Hansens send a big thank you to Dayne and Mary Walker for their generous donation to the spooky tour. ?I was shocked, surprised, and very thankful,? commented Hansen. ?Thank you also to the paper for donating half of the advertising cost. The community has been supportive and that is so helpful.?

    Volunteers are still needed in all shapes and forms ? to help set up, to help be a part. Love to dress up in costume? Then the Hansens and the Spooky Pop Factory tour could use you.

Also, if anyone has costumes, props, black lights, strobe lights, etc., to donate, they would all be greatly appreciated. Contact Dawn at home 498-5605 or at work 498-3424 to volunteer, donate, or with any questions.