Francophone community scares up a good time with Zombie Run

Moose Jaw’s francophone community gave residents a chance to celebrate Halloween early by hosting its ever-popular Zombies vs. Human Run.

More than 30 people showed up at Connor Park on Oct. 19 as either a human-chasing zombie or a zombie-avoiding human during the The Association Communautaire Fransaskois de Moose Jaw’s fourth annual event. The organization used the activity as a fundraiser and as a community-building event.

There were two levels of intensity this year: aggressive (intense) and scary (less intense). Humans wore ribbons on a belt, which indicated to the zombies the type of intensity they should use when chasing the humans.

The humans also had to survive long enough and bring back as much antidote as possible to save Connor Park, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada, and the world.

This event is popular because it involves zombies, Corinne Dourlent, community co-ordinator with the association, explained with a laugh. It’s a family event that encourages English and French speakers to participate, while it takes place outside on one of the last weekends with good weather.

“Everyone likes to be afraid,” she added. Twenty-four people registered ahead of time, while more people were expected to sign up the day of the event. Dourlent pointed out it snowed days before, so that might have influenced people and their decision to register on that day.

Many people came dressed up as some type of zombie, whether as a nurse, athlete or security guard. For Mike (Whiskers) Schmidt, he came dressed as a mutated wolf-dog fighting with the humans. Schmidt and a dozen other participants from the Moose Jaw cosplay group Umbrella Corp. — Central Canada Division came dressed as security personnel from the movie franchise Resident Evil. He explained that the group started more than five years ago and has participated in the zombie walk/run since it started. Schmidt enjoys dressing up in cosplay, so he decided to build a mutated wolf-dog head since the evil Umbrella Corporation turned most of humanity into zombies in the Resident Evil franchise.

“It’s fun. It’s always a blast. I always enjoy this,” he added. “It’s all about the kids … It’s fun volunteering.”

Undead nurse Jenn Pippus attempts to find a heartbeat on the body of Leon (Skeletor) Bi before the start of the Zombie Run. Photo by Jason G. Antonio

Scientist Chantal Beaudoin shows off the antidote that will save humanity, although whether it can save already-infected zombies Simon Desjardins and Chantal Amstad is debatable. Photo by Jason G. Antonio

Mutated wolf-dog Mike (Whiskers) Schmidt attempts to give a “flu shot” to Jordan Free-Bryson to keep him from turning into a zombie, during the francophone community’s annual Zombie Run on Oct. 19. Photo by Jason G. Antonio