It’s hard to believe Halloween has come and gone already. Last night, little ghosts and goblins prowled the streets of many Ohio Valley communities, begging for goodies.

Trick or treat is one of several Halloween traditions that bring back fond memories for me. Since most of the kids I grew up with knew just about everyone in our little village of Belmont, we were allowed to take to the streets in small groups without adult supervision at a fairly young age. Often, we were accompanied by an older youth – maybe a junior high student who had a younger sibling in the crowd – but the idea of venturing out without an adult made the experience just a bit more thrilling.

I will admit that we did do a bit more than beg for candy, but we were never destructive. Our most common Halloween prank involved buying bags of corn from Belmont Mills and throwing the kernels on our neighbors’ front porches to cause a startling bit of noise and make a little mess. Occasionally we would mark up a few windows with a bar of soap, but that was about as ornery as we would get.

Now that Halloween has passed, more holiday traditions are on their way to homes, schools, churches and organizations across our region. Before we know it, the time will arrive to sit down with family and friends to enjoy a Thanksgiving feast. We will watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade that morning – complete with an appearance by two Union Local band members, Jon Flood and Steve Petrey – and take in football games later that day.

Some of us may even take part in a little backyard football. That was something my family used to do at my grandparents’ home in Jackson, Ohio. I don’t remember participating, but I do remember watching as my older cousins and uncles took to the makeshift field.

Favorite holiday foods will be prepared and consumed. Many of us will eat too much and doze off in front of the TV. Prayers will be offered, and families will cherish the time together.

Even more traditions will follow as Thanksgiving passes and Christmas approaches. I expect to start hearing Christmas carols any day now as I shop or dine at area businesses.

But not all traditions are positive. On Friday, a fight broke out on the field during the Union Local vs. Barnesville football game. This may not seem surprising, since passions often get the better of folks who are involved in such a competition.

For those of us who attended either high school, however, the brawl probably came as no surprise at all. In fact, fighting during that game has become somewhat of a tradition for the two schools. The rivalry between them dates back decades, and I recall hearing about plenty of fights that have occurred over the years. I, myself, have a clear memory of people pouring into the end zone to do battle at the end of a game in Barnesville when I was a Union Local student.

Rivalries between schools can spawn fun traditions, such as creative sign making and spirit week activities. But tensions that rise to the point of violence should not be embraced as traditions.

No one was ejected from the game as a result of the fight Friday, and Barnesville came out on top with a score of 28-26 to capture the Milk Bucket trophy. I hope that a healthy spirit of competition and sportsmanship continues between these two schools, but I also hope the tradition of an annual fight is abandoned.

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Some of you may believe I sound like a broken record, but I will take this opportunity to once again urge all of you to get out and vote on Tuesday. I have written on this topic more than once in recent weeks, because I believe participation in the democratic process is a right and a responsibility that is terribly important.

I owe my devotion to taking part in the electoral system to my parents, who always made sure to cast their ballots when I was a child. I recall walking up Market Street in Belmont to our tiny Town Hall with my mother on Election Day. Inside, she would enter a makeshift booth with me by her side, pull a curtain closed behind her and make her voice heard.

My dad worked long hours as a machinist for a local coal mining company. Most days, he was already at work before I got out of bed, and he often did not get home until after I had eaten my supper and put on my pajamas. Still, he always made time to cast his ballot on Election Day.

I turned 18 during a year when a presidential election occurred. I was away at Wright State University in Dayton, but I was prepared. Along with my friends who shared my commitment to voting, I had contacted the Belmont County Board of Elections and obtained an absentee ballot, which I completed and submitted as instructed. Since then, I have gone out of my way to vote in every election.

Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. If you won’t be able to make it to your polling place during those hours, you still have the chance to stop at your county board of elections on Monday to cast and early/absentee ballot.

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Another Election Day tradition in many Ohio Valley communities benefits both organizers and attendees. I’m referring to the annual luncheons offered at many local churches and organization halls. For a list of them, see page A3.

These events provide a welcome break and a warm and tasty meal for patrons. For the groups that sponsor them, they often serve as fundraisers. They also help increase community awareness of the churches and organizations that host them.

Because polling places have been consolidated in many areas, these luncheons are not as common as they once were. Still, several are held in various locations on Election Day.

Keep your eyes open for the chance to grab a bite to eat at one of these events and to support a good cause. Reward yourself for making the effort to get out and vote by stopping along the way for a warm sandwich or bowl of soup, followed by a delicious piece of cake or pie.