OKEECHOBEE — Center Mass Gun Range owners Bob Kreitz and Margaret Kreitz have decided to take their love of Halloween and put together a haunted house for the Okeechobee community for the last week of October, completely free of charge.

Lake Okeechobee News/Richard Marion
Try not to get caught in any webs at the free haunted house at Center Mass Gun Range this year.

The range held their first haunted house last year, and they say that the event had a great turnout from the community in Okeechobee.

The Kreitzes have completely decked out a massive section in the Center Mass building into what they’ve called “the best haunted house in Okeechobee.” Last year the house featured a collection of many of people’s greatest fears, including clowns, spiders, ghosts and the un-dead. Center Mass has even designed a room that will spin around as those brave enough to enter walk through it, which creates a dizzying and disorienting effect.

This year they’ve upped the ante, adding rooms that appear to have no exit, creepy dolls and un-dead pirates.

The house will have actors in full costume to help make the experience one you won’t soon forget. Some of the actors will be volunteers from Okeechobee High School’s JROTC program.

As far as the recommended age range for the haunted house, the Kreitzes say if you wouldn’t let your child watch a horror movie, then you probably shouldn’t let them in the house. However, Center Mass can also warn their scare-actors ahead of time to take it easy on your group if you aren’t feeling particularly brave.

Lake Okeechobee News/Richard Marion
Doll enthusiasts in Okeechobee should be sure to check out the new additions to the Center Mass Gun Range’s haunted house this year. There are rumors that one of the dolls are haunted and its spirit will follow you home. Wonder if you can claim a haunted doll spirit as a dependent on your tax forms?

“There’s no catch, it’s all free,” explained Bob Kreitz. “We’ve always loved decorating for the holidays. In the past we lived in a house that was in a neighborhood where a lot of people would drive by, so everyone could see the house and decorations we put up. Where we live now, though, there aren’t a lot of people driving by, so we decided to take Margaret’s decorating skills and use it here at the range to let people have a good time.”

Margaret has been in charge of choosing and designing the theme for each room in the haunted house.

Lake Okeechobee News/Richard Marion
Not only is admission to the Center Mass Gun Range haunted house free of charge, but apparently this clown is offering free hugs as well. Sounds like a pretty good deal, just remember to check the fine print.

“She’s been at the head of everything,” said Mr. Kreitz. “I just do what I’m told. I think people are really going to like what we’ve put together this year.”

The haunted house will have it’s grand opening on Oct. 25 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The following day on Oct. 26 the haunted house will be open from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. then from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 27. During the final three days of Oct. 28, 29, 20, the spooky attraction will be open from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Center Mass is located at 1934 Center St. in Okeechobee near Racetrac. For more information on the haunted house, you can visit Center Mass Gun Range on Facebook at facebook.com/CenterMassGunRange/.