Bryce Placher, of Buchanan, is a 14-year-old student who volunteers at the Niles Scream Park through his Boy Scout troop. He is also helping out with the planned escape room attraction inside the city’s Ross-Sanders House.

How long have you been volunteering at the Scream Park?

I think this will be my fifth year working there. Last year was the first year that I starting working nights.

How did you get your start?

I was in Cub Scouts, and they needed help cleaning up on Sundays. That was the thing for me and my dad [Pat] to do for the longest time, just taking the trash out of the barrels on the midway. We would take the trash out and throw it away. We would do that every Sunday.

What are some of the things you have done over the years at the park?

Last year, I was helping security out. Now they have me working there in the summer. I help them build rooms. I would go in and help fix electrical stuff that didn’t really work. I would do whatever they really needed. With the rest of the Boy Scouts, we put up the tarps and netting around the rooms after the season is done.

How many hours of volunteer work have you put in this past year?

This year, I put in 336, I think.

Did you help out during the fall, when the haunted house was open?

Yeah. They had me helping out on the midway a little bit. They were also a little shorthanded this year, so I had to help scare. I just did whatever needed to be done.

What is that you like about volunteering with the Scream Park?

I just like helping out. It helps me in Boy Scouts, too, and helps me achieve rank. It helps the troop out, because the park gives a small donation to the troop. Sometimes the troop will struggle at points, so the haunted house really helps.

So the Scream Park donates to the Boy Scouts?

Yeah. We do volunteer work and then they donate to the Boy Scouts. The Boy Scouts use that money for trips and stuff.

Is there anything else you volunteer with outside the haunted house?

I’m helping Matt [Herm]. He’s our park manager, and he’s opening an escape room in the Ross-Sanders building. I’m helping him out with that. Me and my dad just put in a small tile floor in there for him. I’m hoping to be the game master for it.

Why is it that you like volunteering?

It gives me something to do, and keeps me out of trouble. I like working with Matt, because he teaches me stuff and I teach him stuff. It’s pretty fun.