Sayville couple transforms home into haunted carnival for a cause

Well, it's the most haunted carnival in all the land, the Carnival of the Desperate. And although it's meant to scare anyone who walks down the path, it's also meant to support the community. Ha ha ha ha ha ha! This is the fifth year that Max and Denell Grim have transformed their house into a Halloween haunt. Screams It takes more than a month to set up all the decorations, and Max builds most of them from scratch. Every year he would just add a piece, let me add this, and let me add that, and it just became what it is now. The screams are great, but when they're followed by laughs, the amount of actual fun and joy that something like this brings people is... It's very fulfilling. Every year they pick a charity to donate to, and this year, in honor of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, they're raising money for Tunnels to Towers. And they're doing it all in honor of Jamie Atkinson. A Sayville resident who passed away last year from cancer caused by exposure during Ground Zero rescue missions. Well, the Grims say there's always a line down the block for this event. It is free, but they're encouraging people to donate what they can to the charity of the year or bring canned goods to the local food pantry. In Sayville, Suffolk County, Jenna Rae Gartner, News 12.