There were some haunted happenings inside the hallowed halls of the Tri-City Elks Lodge No. 14 on Sunday.

The downstairs dining room, which can accommodate up to 250 people at one time, was a rather spooky scene, replete with a 10-foot Cemetery Gateway that featured everything from ghosts to goblins.

All four walls were decked with hanging spiders and flying bats, while a variety of different size black spiders were on tables that were topped with orange and black plastic and centerpieces anchored with small weights that were covered with orange pumpkin faces and trimmed with black tree branches.

“It’s a good thing we have friends,” said Lori Eaton, the treasurer at Lodge 14 on West Shore Road. “Otherwise, we’d have racked up a hefty bill.”

But the well-appointed Halloween haunting came courtesy of people Eaton called “our friendly neighbors who wanted to help our lodge fulfill one of our pledge promises.”

Inside the two-floor spacious fraternal club is a stained glass wall-hanging that lists each of the four points that Elks lodges across the country adhere to in their everyday operation.

One word – Charity – was a perfect fit for what Exalted Ruler Mark Eaton, his wife Lori and other volunteers like “Griff” and Dick Warner succeeded in doing for several hours Sunday afternoon.

“This is our annual Halloween Party for inner city children,” Mark Eaton said while taking several trays of homemade pizza out of the oven. “There are different things we must do for the community and this is one of those real special things.”

The Eaton-led Lodge 14 put on a Halloween party extraordinaire for 51 inner city children who enjoyed music from disc jockey Bob Caramante, who played such haunted music as the famed “Monster Mash,” to a variety of foods ranging from pizza made fresh by Mark Eaton to hot dogs to French fries and desserts.

And those desserts were a huge hit with all the youngsters who was dressed in almost every kind of Halloween costume imaginable. They wore the “Scream” attire to ballerina outfits and there was even a bumblebee with black and yellow bands.

Although there was no prize given for the best costume, many people concurred that Jackson Martinez, the 7-week-old son of Robert Martinez, was by far the best dressed. The tiny tot wore a family-made Batman outfit.

“We’re thrilled with today’s results,” said Lori Eaton, who chaired Sunday’s special Halloween happening. “All the kids loved the desserts.”

That portion of Sunday’s party included specially made Halloween cupcakes, rice crispy bars, cookies, brownies and even munchkins from Dunkin’ Donuts.

But eating, dancing and having old-fashioned fun weren’t the only things on Sunday’s agenda.

“We had a craft table, one with elastics and the board to make elastic bracelets and others had foam Halloween cutouts for the kids to decorate,” Lori Eaton explained. “Then there was the most important thing; a Halloween safety talk.”

In keeping with tradition, the Exalted Ruler is required to give all the children an in-depth safety talk concerning all phases of Halloween and the night’s trick-or-treating.

Eaton covered such topics as kids carrying flashlights when they go door-to-door during Halloween night. He told the children not to go to houses with no porch light.

“If there’s no light on, don’t go near that place,” he said. “If someone invites you into a home to receive candy, do not go inside. Also, do not accept any home-baked goods or open a wrapper that was either torn or ripped. Please, kids, don’t take any chances on Halloween night.”

Adults who either accompanied their children or volunteered during the party were impressed with Mark Eaton’s presentation.

“Remember to stay safe, we want you all back here next year,” Mark Eaton concluded. “Have a happy and safe Halloween.”