The 35th annual Project Pumpkin event will transform Hearn Plaza into a “Wild Adventure” wonderland, representing desert, jungle, arctic and aquatic biomes through decorated booths. This Halloween-inspired philanthropic tradition, taking place on October 24, will bring together Wake Forest University students and local Winston-Salem schools for trick-or-treating, games and booth competitions.
This year, approximately 35 primary schools were invited, many of whom are recurring participants in Project Pumpkin.
Grace Novak, Senior Director and Pumpkin Project Director, has been involved with the event since her freshman year, where she volunteered to escort children around the event. The following year, Novak worked on the agency's committee, where his main role was to foster the technical partnership between Project Pumpkin and local elementary schools so that children could attend the event, as well as report on each student. the day of. Novak became chair of the operations committee in her first year.
“My favorite part about Project Pumpkin is seeing the joy and excitement on all the kids’ faces when they get on the quad and see all the booths and games,” Novak said. “The Pumpkin Project’s primary goal is to create a meaningful connection between our community and the Winston-Salem community.”
The event's philanthropic foundation raises money for the Wake Forest University Children's Defense Fund's Freedom School. The Freedom School is a summer literacy program, free to students in the Winston-Salem area, that partners with Wake Forest students to help local children expand their education.
“This year we are planning a lot of awesome fundraisers leading up to the event. We work with local restaurants to plan fundraising evenings. Additionally, we will be selling gift baskets, called “Boo-baskets,” so people can surprise their friends the week leading up to the event with philanthropic and Halloween-themed treats,” Novak said.
Principal Hallie Martel, External Director of The Pumpkin Project, works to support the fundraising, public relations, scenography and awareness efforts that underpin this event.
Besides the stronger connections to the broader Winston-Salem community that the Pumpkin Project brings, Martel appreciates the overall intent of encouraging students to develop a love of reading and learning. This encouragement is encouraged by the profits from the event which are donated to the Freedom School.
The Pumpkin Project includes activities and entertainment for children provided by Wake Forest's various student groups, clubs and other organizations. Each stand will coincide with the theme “Wild Adventure”, while organizations will offer their own activities.
On the entertainment side, several Wake Forest and a cappella dance groups will perform, and the Sigma Pi fraternity lounge will be transformed into a haunted house.
Novak encourages anyone in the Wake Forest community to get involved with the Pumpkin Project.
“There are so many ways to get involved,” Novak said. “Beyond our steering committees, you can volunteer to help set up the quad, accompany the children on the day or you can help one of your other organizations/clubs run their stand!
Junior Derek Matthews, co-agency director for Project Pumpkin, became involved with Project Pumpkin even before his time at Wake Forest, when his older sister was a student there.
“The reason I originally did this event is because I was going to help my sister, so I kind of grew up around the Pumpkin Project,” Matthews said. “It’s always been special to me.”
As co-director of the agency, Matthews' main task is to contact local schools to obtain permits and registration forms for children to participate in the event. Of those who are able to attend, Matthews strives to register all of those students the same day.
Ava Josef, a sophomore and co-director of the agency, says her favorite aspect of Project Pumpkin is the interactions between the volunteers and participating students.
Josef's admiration for the Pumpkin Project began even before his time at Wake Forest, a testament to the influence this initiative has beyond campus boundaries.
“I thought it was such a fun and unique campus tradition. The first semester of my freshman year, I decided that this was one of the organizations I would sign up for first.
“(Local elementary students) are the reason this event exists and are the central focus of all the work we do leading up to and on the day of the event,” Josef said. “Watching these kids have fun with the Wake (Forest) students and vice-versa is so rewarding. »
Story continues below advertisement
