To the Editor:

Once again, the youth of Newtown are gearing up for the Great Pumpkin Challenge to be held on Main Street, October 25 through October 31, 2020. The Great Pumpkin Challenge was founded by Mackenzie Page in 2011; she was inspired to support her friend, Zoe McMorran, and challenged residents to carve pumpkins and raise money for the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. The camp was founded by Paul Newman and provides “a different kind of healing” to more than 20,000 seriously ill children annually, and it is completely free of charge.

We continue to host this fun annual tradition and challenge everyone in town to reach out to family, friends, neighbors, church groups, sports teams, clubs, and Scout troops to carve goofy, frightening, or just plain weird jack-o’-lanterns, then drop them off in front of Trinity Church with a $5 suggested donation per pumpkin. Donations can also be mailed to Trinity Church or made online at trinitynewtownct.org.

One hundred percent of the donations will go to the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.

You can drop off pumpkins in front of Trinity Church (stone church by the flagpole) on Sunday, October 25, from 3 to 5 pm; Monday, October 26, from 4 to 6 pm; Wednesday, October 28, from 4 to 6 pm; Friday, October 30, from 4 to 6 pm; and Saturday, October 31, from noon to 3 pm. You can also put your pumpkin on the scaffolding anytime on or after October 25. Your pumpkin masterpiece will be lit up on October 30 and October 31 and bring light to Newtown and the lives of children battling serious illnesses.

Thank you,

The Youth of Trinity Church

36 Main Street, Newtown October 20, 2020