Ahoy! Churchville home’s Halloween setup drops anchor, drives up donations for charity

CHURCHVILLE, N.Y. (WHEC) — Pirates are usually known for capturing and taking goods, but if you happen to see the pirate ship set up outside a Churchville home, don’t worry, their mission is to give away goods to charity.

The setup, located at 15 Ambush Lane, features the ship, a music and light show, actors, and special effects, but that’s not all. Homeowner Tony DeMatteo told First Alert Weather’s Alex Bielfeld the ship is part of his fundraiser for both the Golisano Children’s Hospital and The Open Door Mission.

At the home, people can donate money to the hospital, and food to the mission. You can also make donations on their website. In 2020, DeMatteo says they were able to take in over 3,000 pounds of food for the mission.

DeMatteo said the ship became a "hobby" for him and his family and says it’s drummed up a lot of excitement in the community.

"We just decided that we needed to harness that excitement and bring people together and give them a way to give back to our own community," DeMatteo said.

DeMatteo said he starts planning 8-10 months out, but the ship gets put together within a few days. He says this year will be the last year for the pirate theme as they look for something more "family-friendly" next year.

If you cannot make it Friday evening, the display will be open Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m.

More information on the setup can be found here.