HALLOWEEN TRADITION Kenova Pumpkin House Ready For Visitors
Reported by: Bethany Simmons
Videographer: Kenney Barnette
Web Producer: Bethany Simmons
Also Contributing: Tiersa Davis
Reported: Oct. 26, 2012 11:27 AM EDT
Updated: Oct. 26, 2012 11:53 AM EDT
EYEWITNESS ONLINE WEBCAST VIDEO C L I C K T O P L A Y
Kenova
, Wayne County
, West Virginia
Hundreds of pumpkins decorate a well-known Wayne County home each Halloween. For nearly 30 years, the "Pumpkin House" as it's referred to, has been a fixture in the small town of Kenova.
Each year, volunteers carve 3,000 pumpkins. It's a huge undertaking, but volunteers agree it's well worth it.
"It's a time of year for us; it’s not about Halloween. It’s about the art form and the families who enjoy this, and it’s become a big tradition that we look forward to," said Kenova Mayor Ric Griffith, whose home is annually transformed into the Pumpkin House. "One of the nice things is seeing the children interact with their parents even on a simple pumpkin like the alphabet or a shape. When they can identify something, they get excited and for us it is a reward to know families enjoy it so much."
Volunteer Heidi Romero enjoys helping out every year. "I dedicate most of my October to help set up and draw the pumpkins,” Romero said. “It means so much to the community that kind of adopts us and helps us out."
Amy Robinson of Ceredo was planning on bringing a group of about 20 to 25 children from her church, so they can get a sense of “what community is and helping others. The whole area looks forward to the pumpkin house. It's the big event.”
Without the hundreds of volunteers who help pull the project off, Griffith said, the Pumpkin House tradition would be impossible. “We are very blessed by that. They have helped us increase the volume of pumpkins. As the number of volunteers has increased, we've increased the task," Griffith said.
The "Pumpkin House" is part of the C-K Autumn Fest, which kicks off Friday evening in Kenova. The house was featured on this year’s HGTV's "Halloween Tricked Out" show.
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