ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – A popular Halloween display in East Anchorage that one man puts together each year has found a new home.
Billy Stapleton’s spooky yet brilliant exhibit called “Camp Crystal,” which spreads terror and joy at his home near East 16th Avenue and Turpin Street, has become a local attraction each Christmas.
However, due to health reasons and other personal problems, Stapleton was forced to find a new owner for the collection, which he estimates to be worth over $25,000.
Initially, Stapleton wanted to sell his items, but after a call for donations last week, he decided to donate them to a good cause.
Enter Erin Moore, owner of K-HITZ 107.1 in Mat-Su.
“I thought about it for several days. I said, ‘You know what? I’d rather it go to someone who has the same passion and desires as me than make it a hobby.’ And I said, ‘Erin, just take it. It’s all yours,'” Stapleton said.
The Anchorage man said he donated his entire collection of Halloween props and toys to Moore and fellow K-HITZ member Bob Lester to raise funds for Kids Kupboard, a Mat-Su nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free meals to children who do not have enough to eat.
“Camp Crystal will be relocated to the valley and I will be working with Kids Kupboard so we can turn this into a fundraiser and continue to feed children and bring joy to the community during the Halloween season,” Moore said.
Moore said there will be future discussions with the nonprofit about what exactly should happen with Stapleton’s beloved collection, but said it will likely be used to create an entertaining experience in the valley.
“Erin talked about how much she loves Halloween and how much she loves it. She has the same passion as me,” Stapleton said.
Stapleton said the only thing that isn’t going to Moore and the radio station is his Halloween motorcycle, “Ghostrider,” which is going to his son in Kenai. He said the bike is 25 years old and has 25,000 miles on it, and described it as more of a showpiece than a daily driver.
Stapleton, who was himself homeless in Anchorage in the late 1980s, is confident that Moore will uphold Camp Crystal’s message of “unity in community.”
“That was my goal,” he said. “Let’s just put politics and religion aside. You know, this city has really gone through hard times, not just because of the homeless teenagers in need, but because of homelessness in general.”
“It’s a blessing. It’s just going to – (the) legacy will live on. I told her she can rename it, make it her own, and I can come out and enjoy it and see what I’ve given her, and I’m really looking forward to it.”
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