COVID-19 Causes Changes to be Made to Project Pumpkin

Photo Courtesy of Sower Staff

By Hannah Birtell

In the face of COVID safety procedures, Project Pumpkin moves from David dorm to the Bulldog stadium track. 

Traditionally, Project Pumpkin is hosted by the David dorm hall residents, but this year the event is going to be held on the track. David RC junior Hannah Mulligan described how the new format will be a little bit different than normal.

“We’re going to set up 12 stations according to the 12 halls that will be there,” she said. “They will each have a table and what the kids will do is they are going to walk around the track, and they are going to go to each station and then each table or hall is going to have a different theme.”

Mulligan went on to describe how halls will also come up with a way to get the candy to the kids while also social distancing. Dropping candy through PVC pipe or using small catapults could all be options that halls could use. 

The biggest factor in the redesign of Project Pumpkin is ensuring the safety of all people involved and the best way to do this was to move the whole event outside. 

“Everyone is still going to wear masks when they go,” Mulligan said. “There will be plenty of room for people to keep a distance and there will be a sign up where families can sign up for different times so that there is not a rush of people.” 

One possibility that an outdoor Project Pumpkin opens up is the potential for students who do not live in David to participate. Currently, it is just the girls in David who will be participating, but the event is going to be open for other students to participate too.

Despite the different venue, Project Pumpkin preparation will be very similar to years past. Each hall will still prepare a theme and create decorations. Residents will all be dressing up too to add a little bit more to the event. 

Mulligan also said that it was possible that there might be a photo booth with streamers hanging down for families to take pictures in front of or cardboard cutouts for kids to take pictures in as well. 

“I love seeing the little kids come through in their cute little costumes,” junior RA Elliot Mackowski said. “Different halls get so creative that it is a really cool way to reach out to the community.”

Connecting with the community is just one of the reasons that it was important to students for Project Pumpkin to happen this year.

“It is such a good opportunity for our campus to connect with Seward,” Mulligan said. “Just having the campus connect with outside since they are always supporting us.”