30 Oct 2024 First Presbyterian Church in Conway has become a Harvest of Humanitarianism
By Mark Oliver
Since 2014, the pumpkin patch at First Presbyterian Church in Conway has brought smiles to the faces of Arkansans far and wide. Beginning as a small church festival, the pumpkin patch has grown from a simple fundraiser into the must-attend fall event in Faulkner County.
“When we first started, we had maybe 10 total pallets of pumpkins,” Children’s Ministry Coordinator Susan Bradshaw said. “This year, we have pumpkins that cover our entire lawn and gazebo. Over the years, we have also added places to take pictures and outdoor pumpkin-related games, as well as story time opportunities for children. Each year, we’re always impressed by the beautiful variety of pumpkins and gourds that arrive.”
These aren’t just any pumpkins, however. They’re a means to support not only youth programs in the 501, but to also provide a valuable lifeline to families in need across the country.
Through a collaboration with Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers, First Presbyterian Church receives its pumpkins directly from the Navajo Indian reservation in New Mexico, a region of the United States with more than half of its residents living in poverty and sometimes lacking adequate plumbing, running water or electricity.
“One of the things that we like most about our partnership with Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers is that during harvest season, 90 percent of their employees are residents of the Navajo Nation,” Bradshaw said. “As a church, our biggest focuses are mission and outreach. In a region that boasts a 40 percent unemployment rate, this partnership creates jobs to allow them to provide for their families. Helping others while also helping our kids makes this the perfect fit for us.”
As word of the church’s mission spread, so has the attendance at the pumpkin patch each year, with residents gathering in droves to pick their perfect pumpkin.
“Every pumpkin has a story,” Bradshaw said. “When people learn about the Navajo communities they serve, not just our own, they find it inspiring. Sure, they can buy a cheaper pumpkin at a grocery store, but the fact that they choose our pumpkins shows what a great community we have, knowing that what we’re doing benefits real communities and not just a corporation.”
More than just picking pumpkins, attendees are also making memories.“One of our customers bought a pumpkin so that they could carve it and put their baby inside for a photo,” Bradshaw said. “That family continues to come to our pumpkin patch each year. Even though that child is now too big to fit in a pumpkin, seeing them grow each year reminds us how far we’ve come.”
“Every year, we see so many families who have been coming for years,” Pastor Mike Ulasewich said. “One of my favorite parts is giving stickers to families with little ones to decorate their pumpkins. Seeing the children’s faces light up over something as simple as a sticker is always so much fun.”
“When we first started, we had maybe 10 total pallets of pumpkins,” Children’s Ministry Coordinator Susan Bradshaw said. “This year, we have pumpkins that cover our entire lawn and gazebo. Over the years, we have also added places to take pictures and outdoor pumpkin-related games, as well as story time opportunities for children. Each year, we’re always impressed by the beautiful variety of pumpkins and gourds that arrive.”
These aren’t just any pumpkins, however. They’re a means to support not only youth programs in the 501, but to also provide a valuable lifeline to families in need across the country.
Through a collaboration with Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers, First Presbyterian Church receives its pumpkins directly from the Navajo Indian reservation in New Mexico, a region of the United States with more than half of its residents living in poverty and sometimes lacking adequate plumbing, running water or electricity.
“One of the things that we like most about our partnership with Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers is that during harvest season, 90 percent of their employees are residents of the Navajo Nation,” Bradshaw said. “As a church, our biggest focuses are mission and outreach. In a region that boasts a 40 percent unemployment rate, this partnership creates jobs to allow them to provide for their families. Helping others while also helping our kids makes this the perfect fit for us.”
As word of the church’s mission spread, so has the attendance at the pumpkin patch each year, with residents gathering in droves to pick their perfect pumpkin.
“Every pumpkin has a story,” Bradshaw said. “When people learn about the Navajo communities they serve, not just our own, they find it inspiring. Sure, they can buy a cheaper pumpkin at a grocery store, but the fact that they choose our pumpkins shows what a great community we have, knowing that what we’re doing benefits real communities and not just a corporation.”
More than just picking pumpkins, attendees are also making memories.“One of our customers bought a pumpkin so that they could carve it and put their baby inside for a photo,” Bradshaw said. “That family continues to come to our pumpkin patch each year. Even though that child is now too big to fit in a pumpkin, seeing them grow each year reminds us how far we’ve come.”
“Every year, we see so many families who have been coming for years,” Pastor Mike Ulasewich said. “One of my favorite parts is giving stickers to families with little ones to decorate their pumpkins. Seeing the children’s faces light up over something as simple as a sticker is always so much fun.”
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