Family Aims to Scare Up Donations for Sick Kids at Haunted House

For one final time, welcome to Charles Brandt’s nightmare.

For the past 12 years, he has been offering a haunted attraction at 2344 Cummings in Berkley to raise money for charity. “Detroit Nightmare” is open Halloween night only, from 6-9:30 p.m., but freewill donations are encouraged to benefit Spirit of Children Foundation, whose gifts are aimed at taking some the scariness out hospital says for patients at Children’s Hospital of Michigan.

This is the last year for the attraction, which will featured ghosts, ghouls, clowns, zombies and other characters played by a cast of more than 45 actors, some of them Screen Actors Guild professionals Brandt has met through his production, company, Start to Finish Productions, and some of them friends and friends of friends.

The tradition started a dozen years ago by Brandt’s parents and he continued it after moving back to Berkley after college. Last year, more than 1,100 people walked through the haunted house.

The house has 15 rooms of horror, each with a different theme.

“They’re all designed to scare people, while giving them a safe place to trick or treat and have a great time,” Brandt wrote in an email.

Brandt warns that some material may be disturbing to young children, so parental supervision is required. And if they’re too young to view the horror, there will be plenty of Halloween candy available in less-scary spots.