Attention, Spanish Fort residents and all other patrons planning a trip to the Eastern Shore Centre Oct. 2: The zombies mean you no harm.

Seriously.

Despite their dangling limbs, slack-jawed expressions and insatiable appetites for human brains, their hearts are in the right place.

As part of Premiere Cinema’s “Night of the Giving Dead” — benefiting both Prodisee Pantry in Spanish Fort and LifeSouth Community Blood Centers — patrons are invited to dress in traditional zombie fare and take part in what organizers hope will become the largest gathering of Alabama’s undead on record.

“The undead are usually pretty wellbehaved while out at malls. You can usually control them by telling them not to bite, but in the end they’re zombies,and you can’t trust them,” said Will Sanders, director of the Eastern Shore Premiere and a self-professed horror genre enthusiast who has hosted 17 similar events in cities across the country.

The event, which coincides with the national release of the horror/comedy flick “Zombieland,” is designed to provide a little non-traditional family fun while addressing some of the area’s most critical needs.

Canned food donations will be accepted at both the movie theater and Moe’s Southwest Grill and LifeSouth will be on site accepting donations from eligible blood donors. Makeup artists will also be on hand to help transform patrons lacking the necessary supplies at home.

“You don’t have to bring a canned-good item to get made up, but we ask that you please help the cause,” Sanders said, noting he cannot guarantee philanthropy wards off zombie attacks, but he’d hate to be wrong.

And with other retailers joining the effort, participating zombies are being welcomed to wander about establishments such as Barnes & Noble and mingle with their not-yet-dead brethren.

Sanders admits the event has taken on a life of its own in recent weeks especially after Columbia Pictures — the Hollywood studio behind the latest zombie release — caught wind of the effort and decided to dispatch its own representatives to the fanfare.

“I am a huge horror fan and love throwing these events, and I try to give a good reputation to horror and movie fans to show that just because you like horror films doesn’t mean you’re a bad person. The folks that have been involved in these events over the years are some of the greatest, kindest-hearted people I have ever known,” he said.

And while the movie most certainly targets more mature viewers with its R rating, Sanders assured participants the free event is intended to be a family-friendly one.

“There isn’t a lot of make-up usually on most people at the walk, and usually kids can still tell it’s mom, dad and the people they came with. Most of the time they see people getting made up or themselves getting made up and it settles them,” he said.

He said the ages of past walkers have ranged from 6 months to 89 years, and while there is no makeup available for infants, he and his wife did dress their daughter once in an “I’m a Zombie” onesie.

Prodisee Pantry Executive Director Deann Servos said the unusual event could not possibly come at a better time after the community emergency food and disaster relief organization saw its rolls almost double during the summer months compared with demand one year ago.

“We’re not wild about the movie the event promotes, but (organizers) have a good heart, and it’s a great way to tap into that fall-holiday spirit and give back a little,” Servos said.

Indeed, family visits to the pantry totaled 1,800 translating to 4,914 individuals served, and Servos said those figures represent an 81 percent increase in the number of families receiving services compared with 995, or 2,961 individuals, during the summer of 2008.

Since its founding in November 2003, the pantry has served more than 18,000 families and more than 52,000 individuals.

“We’re always looking for innovative ways to keep this issue in front of the community at large, and we are very grateful to the folks at Premiere Cinema for making us part of their event,” Servos said.