Pumpkin Party – Leeds Community at its Best!

WEEKS IN ADVANCE OF THE PARTY…

The Leeds Civic Association created supply lists, decided on voting categories and prizes. Advertising was designed, printed, posted and delivered. Pumpkin entry give-aways were ordered (LED flare copters and glow necklaces), logistical details were reviewed. A call for volunteers for food contributions and other help went out via neighbor to neighbor, the LCA newsletter, website, and email blasts.

ON THE EVE OF THE PARTY…

6 people were busy stringing colorful lights along Chestnut Ave. Thank you: Steve McDonough, Tom Quinn, Penny Geis, David Rondina and his dad.

ON THE MORNING OF THE PARTY…

12 people were prepping the pumpkin roll course and party site.

(Loading up, transporting and setting up tables and grills, numbering 98 pumpkins). Thank you: Marc Freedman, Jason Johnson, Steve McDonough, David Rondina and family, Brenda and Jim Ryan, Justin O’Connor, and Tom and Amy Quinn.

SOMETIME ALONG THE WAY…

47 people in Leeds were busy carving a pumpkin entry to share. Thanks! Without you, it wouldn’t be a pumpkin party.

1 person was carving the Lollipop Raffle Pumpkin.

Thank you Jaiden Marney

5 people were busy baking pies for prizes. Thank you: Nancy Cheevers, Jason Johnson (x3), Ananda Lennox, Tom Quinn and Chad Marney.

15 people were making a big pot of their favorite soup or chili to share. Thanks: Julie Akeret, Joshua Birk, Sarah Casey, Leslie Chalmers, Ruth Ever, Marc Freedman, Jason Johnson, Alisa Klein and Amy Stamm, Susan Torrey, Steve McDonough, Carol Patterson, Alison Wood, Amy and Tom Quinn.

6 people were readying breads to share. Thank you: Leslie Skantz-Hodgson, Kevin Hale, Linda Butler, Kim Wojcik, Rachel Agoglia and Sarah Hines.

2 people baked dozens of potatoes with all the fix-ins to share.

Thank you Brenda and Jim Ryan.

11 people were preparing desserts to share. Thank you: Vin and Beth Perotta, Lynn Shumann-Hobbs, Greg and Tricia Reidy, Penny Geis, K. Chambers, Heather Punska, Pamela Cobb, Melissa Ratcliffe and Deb Jacobs.

1 person was prepping his play-list and equipment. Thank you Shawn Gunderson for being our Emcee.

DURING THE PARTY…

By the time 4:30 rolled around the party site was teeming with people, some eagerly awaiting the start of the pumpkin roll, some checking-in their pumpkins, some dropping off food contributions. Fifty-four kids rolled pumpkins hoping to win one of two prize gift cards to A to Z. The lucky winners were Lucas Tikkala-Cutler and Ryan Wade.

After the Pumpkin Roll, folks checked out the pumpkin entries, enjoyed the food and hot cider. As the warm night darkened and pumpkins lit up, voting began. Folks filled out ballots, choosing their favorite Funny, Gross, Scary, and Classic pumpkin. They also chose a favorite from the Master category, which was a special $5 buy-in category for people who really get into carving. Votes were logged into an Excel spread sheet for faster tallying (Thank you Amy Quinn for setting that up and Amy Stamm and Alisa Klien for logging in the votes of 90 people!) Thank you to Pamela Cobb for taking photos during the party, and thank you to anyone else who brought an item to share.

The winners in each category were called out and their pumpkins were brought up to the winners table to be ahhhhed over and applauded. Each winner chose a home-made pie to take home, the Master winner also won half of the buy-in dollars. The other half went to the Hotel Bridge Fund.

AFTER THE PARTY…

Many folks helped make swift work of breaking down the party. Tablecloths have already been washed and stored with the rest of the party supplies. Grills and tables have been returned to owners. The trash has been sorted and brought to the reclamation center. The lights are neatly coiled for the next LCA event (see article below). As you can see from reading the lists of people who contributed in some way, it takes participation to make a party successful. You also may take away from the lists that more than enough people are helping. That is not the case (note the same names listed multiple times.) We would love to have new volunteers! If you were unable to contribute, maybe next year you can carve out some time (pun intended) and join in!