St. Jude's Pumpkin Patch brings community together

The spirit of fall was on full display at the St. Jude's Pumpkin Patch over the weekend as children ran about with smiles on their faces giving parents plenty of picture opportunities.

A tractor pulled a trailer with people sitting on bales of hay, waving at anyone in the neighborhood or even at Father Daniel Wathen, St. Jude Thaddeus Church pastor, who lives across from the school.

Other activities were held in the pumpkin patch itself.

The Pumpkin Patch, a St. Jude Home and School fundraiser, was set up on the grassy area between the church and school, with orange pumpkins of different shapes and sizes decorating the area. Families wandered amongst the pumpkins, doting over their children as they ran from pumpkin to pumpkin with excitement.

Caleb Hutchins was with his two sons, Asher and Oliver, in the pumpkin patch Saturday afternoon.

"It's great fun," Hutchins said. "We've been here for about two hours now, and these kids are running themselves ragged. They were playing with the goat. They took a train ride. Now they're with the pumpkins. Great event for the kids."

Hutchins said he was working all day Friday and was not able to make it for the first day of the Pumpkin Patch.

Asher talked about his favorite parts of the Pumpkin Patch.

"Playing in the leaves," Asher said, enthusiastically. "And the goat."

Community member Andi Opie said she thought the Pumpkin Patch was a lot of fun as well and it was very kid-friendly.

"My son is 2 1/2 and he loves the train," Opie said. "My daughter is just enjoying crawling on the pumpkins. They both had fun in the leaf pile. He painted a pumpkin and she is chewing on a pumpkin. So, they're both having fun."

Opie added this was their first time to the Pumpkin Patch and they would come back next year if the Pumpkin Patch was held again.

The new barrel train circled around the pumpkin patch, hauling excited kids as passengers. Members of Home and School, St. Jude Thaddeus' parent fundraising organization, were seated at a table with waivers ready for those who wanted to participate in the hay ride.

The basketball court was home to a few cornhole boards that had been adjusted for the kids to play.

Community member Joyce Olson was one of the adults who were either watching their children play or catching up with friends. She said she thought the Pumpkin Patch was fun and exciting. Her kids enjoyed everything about it, too, she said, adding that she would come back again next year.

Home and School members said last week they upgraded the leaf pool from last year. Several hay bales were erected as walls that surrounded a pool of leaves. Kids were climbing up on the hay bales and using them as diving platforms to perform flips or belly flops in to the pile of leaves.

Community member Amanda Christofferson was with her kids at the leaf pool, standing with other parents and watching their kids launch themselves into the pit.

"My kids love it. This is our second year coming," she said. "Great family activity."

Christofferson said her son loves trains and one of the first things they had to do upon coming to the Pumpkin Patch was ride the barrel train. She added her daughter's favorite part was picking out their pumpkin from the pumpkin patch.