MEA staff transforms office into ‘Candyland’

WASILLA — There was a little something sweet happening at Matanuska Electric Association on Friday.

Being the last business day before Halloween, MEA’s Wasilla business office scared up some squeals and applause from children and adults by recreating the popular children’s game “Candyland.” Those stopping by to pay bills or sign up for service were greeted by the usual Candyland suspects:

• Lord Licorice (aka Suzie Deuser)

• Grandma Nut (Pam Keller)

• Queen Frosting (Dawn Baham)

• Gloppy (Lisa Hansel)

• Plumpy (Melissa Helmick)

• Princess Lolly (Shirley Glass)

• Mrs. Mint (Mary Whiting)

• The King (John Glass)

Like the game, players followed a colorful path through the office, stopping to watch little skits from each of the characters. The premise was to find the King, who was king-napped by Lord Licorice (turns out he was in the bathroom all the time, on his “throne”).

The elaborate Halloween hullabaloo comes on the heals of a similar effort last year, when the office staff all dressed as pigs to create a hotbed of swine flu. There wasn’t a question the staff would take its Halloween celebration to another level, said Keller.

“It took about a month from when we originally started talking about it,” she said. “We all chose characters in the ‘Candyland’ game, and I’m Grandma Nut.”

Aside from giving MEA members something unexpected, dressing up and acting out the game was a great morale booster for the staff, said Sharon Lund, who manages the office.

“Well, our customers really enjoy it and we enjoy it too,” she said. “The ladies have really made a big effort. Happy employees at work enjoying themselves while working is great. It’s good for team spirit.”

That the staff would plan and prepare the interactive game on their own time is impressive to MEA management, said Wes Lindsey, communications manager for the electric cooperative.

“They’ve literally spent a couple weeks working on it, on their own time,” he said. “A lot of them made their own costumes and they purchased everything there themselves. The customers are surprised and shocked that these individuals have taken their time to make their day, to do something special.”

Above all, MEA’s “Candyland” is an example of how the office staff can perform its day-to-day tasks and still make a positive impression on the community, Lindsey said.

“Besides, it’s just fun,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about. If you’re so serious that you can’t have fun every now and then, what’s the point?”

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.