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Mon, Nov 09 2009 

Published: October 02, 2008 09:48 pm    print this story  

Pumpkin Harvest Festival

Third annual fundraiser kicks off today

By Bev Davis
Register-Herald Senior Editor

Slow down when you drive by the Beckley campus of Burlington United Methodist Family Services this weekend. In fact, turn in the gate and take part in the third annual Pumpkin Harvest Festival today through Sunday.

From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m., there will be lots of activities for the whole family, according to Mark Allen, campus director.

“This is a great event. We have all kinds of things going on from a parade to all kinds of contests involving pumpkins,” Allen said.

There will be more than 15 vendors set up on the campus at Cranberry, and hundreds of plump, orange pumpkins will be on sale.

Vendors will be selling jewelry, appliqué flags, Longaberger baskets, jewelry, candles, homemade purses and many other arts, crafts and primitive items. Blacksmith Eugene Ratliff will be on hand to give visitors a taste of this fascinating heritage art.

Activities today include:




- 10 a.m. quilt judging contest

- 1 p.m. largest pumpkin contest

- 4 p.m. Pumpkin festival parade with Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., as grand marshal (parade is downtown Beckley following the Woodrow Wilson High School homecoming parade.

On Saturday:




- 10 a.m. Pumpkin Harvest pageant in the Cranberry Elementary gymnasium

- 11 a.m. Horseshoe pitching contest at Burlington

- 11 a.m. Mini auction at Burlington

- 1 p.m. Pumpkin pie contest

- 4 p.m. Pumpkin decorating contest

On Sunday:




- Noon car show registration

- 1 p.m. horseshoe pitching contest

- 2 p.m. seed-spitting contest

Music is planned for all three days.

“Some of the players scheduled are Billy Payne, Steven Bledsoe (Beckley Idol winner) and New Beginnings. We have 12 entertainers scheduled to play,” Allen said.

There will also be games, hayrides and inflatable toys on which children can plan.

There will be an old fashioned dunking booth provided by Beckley Steel, and some area notables have volunteered to take the plunge for a good cause.

Among them are: Charlie Houck, president of City National Bank; Russ Weeks, gubernatorial candidate; Joe Bullington, DHHR Region 4 director and Skip Jennings, DHHR CSM for Fayette County.

The festival serves as a fundraiser for Burlington, but organizers say they also hope the event brings the community together for fun and fellowship.

“We would like to invite everyone to come out sometime over the weekend and join us in celebrating our Pumpkin Harvest Festival and help us raise money for the children in our care,” Allen said. “This event is a lot of fun, and it gets better every year.

Proceeds benefit the services provided by this nonprofit agency, which serves children and families in all 55 counties of West Virginia and Oakland, Md. Burlington has been providing services since 1913, but the Beckley campus opened in 1997 and provides the following services:

- Residential long-term treatment

- Foster care

- Adoptions

- Right from the Start

“About 95 percent of the children we provide services to are in the legal custody of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources,” Allen said. “They have been removed from their homes as a result of some form of abuse and/or neglect. The children have developed various behavioral and emotional problems that are treated while in placement with us. Our goal and hope for each child is to be reunified with their family.”

Parking for the festival will be on the Beckley campus, as well as at Raleigh Mall. There will be shuttles running to and from the mall each day.

If you have any questions about the festival, the events or the schedule, call Allen at 304-252-8508. Please visit the Web site at www.bumfs.org.

— E-mail: bdavis@register-herald.com

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Photos


Visitors at this weekend’s Pumpkin Harvest Festival at the Beckley campus of Burlington United Methodist Family Services at Cranberry will find a wealth of decorating and craft items for sale. There will be games, pageants and entertainment for people of all ages. Proceeds benefit the programs and services offered by Burlington. Submitted photo/ (Click for larger image)



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P.O. Box 2398, Beckley, WV 25802
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