Every year Salt Lick, KY plays host to a haunted corn maze. James Pendleton, full-time business and part time auctioneer runs the maze in. James grows the corn maze year round while running a petting zoo in the middle. The back of the corn maze is close to a stream of water where customers can rent canoes. “This maze is my pride and joy, a labor of love,” said James. Growing the corn requires a lot of man-hours but James has employed his family and friends who also take pride in the corn growth.
During the month of October, the corn maze goes under a transformation. It transitions from a family friendly petting zoo to nightmare filled horror spectacle. Being the business-minded man he is, James takes full advantage of the holiday season and makes his maze into of the best scare stops in the state. “People who have never heard of Salt Lick will come down here just to run through the maze,” said James. “Everyone likes a fright now and then, so why not make a little bit of a profit from it.”
What most people rave about most about are the maze's workers. Scaring people is a talent and the Brothers of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity have got it down to a science. Throughout the night, you can clearly hear the sobbing of the young and old from outside of the maze.” The brothers have received a mountain of compliments since they started for me” said James. “They work like a well-oiled machine, feeding off each other’s energy.” Fraternity members are not paid by the hour instead the chapter receives a donation from James himself. Last fall, after the maze was over with, the brothers decided to make James an honorary member of their chapter.
Kappa Sigma’s current president Victor Kremser, said his brothers are more than happy to help with the maze. “It’s something we all look forward to every year, it’s kind of bonding time for us.” Victor is a German-born international student who came to the states during high school as a part of a young study abroad program. He is now a senior at Morehead State University who is majoring in biomedical science. This past summer he married his high school sweetheart Samantha Kremser. “My wife complains that I spend too much time at the maze during October, but she knows the chapter needs the money," said Victor, “We have found a nice middle ground and have agreed to just enjoy the time we do have together.”
Other brothers of the chapter feel a little different about the maze. Derick Hurst, the chapter’s vice president, loves the maze and has not missed a day since he’s joined. “All the people I get to scare is what brings me back to this maze year after year. Derick is a junior who became engaged over the summer. Much Like Victor, Derick decided to put a ring on his high school sweetheart as well. “Before I proposed to her we worked the maze together so she wasn’t shocked at my devotion to it.” The couple plans to wed next June.
Not all brother had the enthusiasm of the president and vice president. Brother Evan Russell, who is in charge of operations of the maze for the chapter, says he gets a lot of complaints from other members. “We have a couple of fellows who try to weasel their way out of working it. Evan says his biggest problem is having to be the bad guy in some situations and laying the hammer down on those who need it. “I wouldn’t say any of my brothers are lazy, some just think of any way not to work this maze."
The maze a huge success this year and raised a tremendous amount of funds for the chapter. Kappa Sigma plans to give a little bit of the proceeds to their charity of choice.
