GRANDVIEW, Iowa — You might have a hard time making it through the mazes in this haunted house without getting lost at least once. The Muscatine Jaycees have outdone themselves this time with a spooktaculary huge haunted barn.

Tonight is the grand-opening of the haunted barn, located on J Avenue just south of Grandview Avenue (head down U.S. Highway 61 and follow the signs).

The Jaycees, a nonprofit community organization, uses the haunted barn as a fundraiser for other community events and to give to the less fortunate in various ways. They’ve been doing it for more than 20 years. Last year they grossed about $9,000 from the event.

About six Jaycees                  volunteers spent most of their free time in September tearing out the old structuring from last year’s event and changing walls and adding mazes one panel at a time. The tour is completely different and extends into the yard behind the barn. On Thursday afternoon, the finishing touches were finalized.

Plywood, plastic and lots of nails make up the structure, but it’s the masks, spooks and ghouls from classic horror flicks that will have the heart racing.

Troy Delano said there are 36 members of the Muscatine Jaycees and that many of them will be at the barn to frighten the willing.

“Some of us are just die-hard haunted house people,” he said. Many of the other volunteers have to work or have other commitments, but in the end, they all show up to make the final product a success.

Some of the wood has been donated, but the Jaycees rely mostly on members to offer supplies. The crew spends about $500 a year to get the house set up and to purchase props and materials.

The most expensive element of a haunted house is insurance. The Jaycees paid more than $1,700 for insurance this year because it’s so important — and required.

They’ve seen a few people get hurt, but it’s rare, Jaycees president Joanne Schwab said. A splinter or two has occurred and one person ran straight through the wall. Then there’s always one or two who wet their pants (sorry, folks, but that’s not covered by insurance).

The volunteers do a safety check to avoid accidents.

“I like to think like a customer and how they’re going to act,” Troy said. Walking with hands out and feeling the walls with feet and fingertips helps discover any splintery areas or snags in the wood.

It seems that the spooks and monsters get the most injuries.

“We always get hit,” Troy said. “Sometimes you get a drunk person who gets mad because he can’t find the way out, but sometimes it’s a scare hit. You can tell the difference.”

Troy’s son Eric agreed.

“It’s a reaction most of the time. We give them a warning but if they hit you again they’re out,” Eric said.

The volunteers will do their best to scare the pants off of people of all ages and it’s safe to say  —  without giving too much away — that they’ve got the horror flick feel going on.

The least spooky place in the haunted house, Troy said, is the stairway. Because stairs can be so dangerous they are well lit and always a “no scare” area.

When asked what people were most scared of, the group of volunteers said in unison, “the chainsaw.”

Schwab did a run-through on practice night to make sure everything was in place.

“I know the layout and it took me about a half hour,” she said.

The group hopes the haunted house will be a treat for everyone who goes; but, they warn, there’s definitely a trick, too — but that’s a secret; so if you go in, plan to be there awhile.

“They’ll be getting their money’s worth this year,” Troy said.

Reporter contact information

Melissa Regennitter: 563-262-0526

mregennitter@muscatinejournal.com

Details

What: Jaycees Haunted House

Where: From Muscatine take U.S. Highway 61 South to Grandview. About one half mile past Grandview take a left onto 145th Street. Go straight to J Avenue and the barn is on the right.

When: The haunted barn will be open 7 p.m.-2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, beginning today and running through Oct. 31. The barn will also be open 7-10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, and Thursday, Oct. 25.

In addition, a kids’ daytime matinee will held from on Saturday Oct. 20.  Children 12 and under may enter free with a canned good.

Cost: $5 for Oct 5, 6, 12 and 13. All other nights will be $6.