The Pumpkin Patch: Much More Than a Fundraiser

The Community

Participating churches quickly discover that a Pumpkin Patch is more than a fundraiser. Sure, it's a fantastic way to raise money for worthwhile projects, but, a Pumpkin Patch fundraising project is an event that reaches into your community, congregation, and family.

The Congregation

The Pumpkin Patch is a lightning rod for the community—allowing the sponsoring church to reach beyond its own membership. For example, each year beneath the "Storytelling Tree", Bill Parker, Youth Minister at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church in Wilmington, N.C. mesmerizes over 1,500 school-age children with his storytelling. Bill says, "It's our way of giving something back to the community for their support." One pastor reported that when he asks his new member classes how they first came to the church, it is a common occurrence to hear people say, “I just came to buy a pumpkin!”

The Family

An excessive number of fundraising events will too often drain the limited and precious human resources of a church. The no-risk Pumpkin Patch is a volunteer-friendly opportunity that harnesses the energies of a congregation and nurtures congregational fellowship. In fact, two members of Druid Hills UMC in Ocala, Florida took this to an extreme several years ago. Meeting in the Pumpkin Patch as volunteers, the couple's relationship blossomed into marriage. There's no magic in a Pumpkin Patch—just an opportunity for good people to do good things.

Husbands and wives, parents and children—all find a unique opportunity to work together as a family in support of a common goal. Whether it's unloading a truck with 3,000 pumpkins, helping a customer buy their "perfect pumpkin", or baking a "broken pumpkin" pie for a Bake Sale, it's quality time for the entire family. The Pumpkin Patch is a family affair.