Local school creates make shift pumpkin patch for community families

EUREKA, Calif. (KIEM)-The pandemic has caused a lot of fall activities to either be postponed or flat out cancelled. 

Fortunately, an elementary school in Eureka decided to create an event to fill the void.

Sarah Tomkins say, her kids couldn’t wait to pick out a pumpkin.

“The kids are just so excited for Halloween,” she said. “I think life is so, not normal right now, Halloween is something that they can count on.”

 Care Specialist Teri Silvers works at Washington Elementary School, and says, the school is happy they could do this for their community members.

“We’re trying to build some community activities even when the students aren’t physically on the campus,” she said. “Edward D. Jones and Eureka Natural Foods donated all the pumpkins to our school, and the parents were just so elated cause so many of the pumpkin patches didn’t happen or have already closed, and they couldn’t take their kids to get a pumpkin.”

Friday’s event was a hit, the staff placed pumpkins out on the school lawn to simulate a pumpkin patch, after about an hour and half – all 250 pumpkins were gone.

The response prompted the staff to do a repeat performance Monday, and more families took advantage of the opportunity to find that perfect pumpkin.

There was even a photo corner, to capture memories from the event.

The pumpkin patch will end when all pumpkins are gone.