Friday, January 15, 2010

Pumpkin Carving Party 2009




We had to hold our Pumpkin Carving Party in shifts to accommodate everyone. As soon as one family finished dinner and carving their pumpkins, we would clear the table and seat another family. We picked 300 pumpkins and received a few more through donations but not a pumpkin was left by the end of the night.

Our Pumpkin Carving Party is an event for the whole family to enjoy. We provide food (stews, chili and chips along with fresh made bread from our local bakeries). This means families don't need to prepare dinner for the family on this night. Each child receives their own pumpkin and parents are given candles to light up the pumpkins. When I grew up (with 11 brothers and sisters) we survived off a garden and planted our own pumpkins. For many of these families purchasing a pumpkin at a nearby convenience store is expensive and a burden to carry home. Therefore, carving pumpkins is not a regular tradition for many of these families. Every year children look forward to our Pumpkin Carving Party. The Party has grown over the years form 30-to now over 300. I am pleased to be able to host an annual carving party to provide a healthy, family orientated tradition for children in our area.

Thank you, to all who donated to this event and thank you to all who volunteered your time. We were very, very, busy serving food, helping children with the carving and cleaning up messes. We are impacting families in a positive way during these difficult financial times. Click on the flickr bar on this page and view the many happy faces you touch by supporting the Police Center Events.

Officer Clarke

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