"Project Pumpkin" Archive

Hundreds of children expected for Project Pumpkin on Oct. 30

UPDATE: Wake Forest’s Project Pumpkin, to be held Wednesday, Oct. 30 from 3 to 6 p.m., has been moved from Hearn Plaza to the Sutton Center due to the likelihood of inclement weather. 

Wake Forest students host children for 2018’s Project Pumpkin

More than 800 Winston-Salem children are expected to converge on Wake Forest for candy, fun and a good time during the University’s 31st annual Project Pumpkin festival. The event will be held Wednesday, Oct. 30 from 3 to 6 p.m. on Hearn Plaza.

Children of Wake Forest faculty and staff are invited to participate, too.

Project Pumpkin is a signature event at Wake Forest and one that Winston-Salem children look forward to every year. Students, staff and faculty work together to provide a carnival-like atmosphere for children, complete with trick-or-treating, games and prizes, educational activities and clowns.

This year, more than 90 student groups are expected to participate in Project Pumpkin. The theme is Planet Pumpkin, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 Moon Landing, and officials hope to educate children about the Space Project at this year’s festival.

“We’ve asked the participating organizations to ensure there’s an educational component to this year’s event surrounding our theme,” said Lovelle McMichael, a graduate assistant in the Office of Civic and Community Engagement, which helps organize this and other community outreach experiences. “It’s fine for the children to come out and get candy, but it’s important for us to make Project Pumpkin an interactive, memorable and educational experience for them.”

New this year, Wake Forest is working to raise $5,000 to support the Freedom School, a program for elementary and middle-school students aimed at strengthening children’s reading skills and closing achievement gaps. Students have set up a website for donations at crowdfund.wfu.edu.

Categories: EventsInside WFU

Project Pumpkin open to children of faculty and staff

The children of Wake Forest faculty and staff may participate Oct. 24 in the 30th annual Project Pumpkin festival at the University. Faculty and staff may bring their children at 3 p.m. to a table outside Wait Chapel on Hearn Plaza where waivers will be available for faculty and staff to sign, enabling the children to participate.

The event will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. on Hearn Plaza.

Each year, students, faculty and staff collaborate to provide a safe environment for trick-or-treating, carnival games, clowns, entertainment and educational activities.  Nearly 100 student-run booths will be in place.  The theme is Candyland, based on the classic board game.

Categories: EventsInside WFU

Temporary parking changes for Project Pumpkin

The following message is sent on behalf of the Office of Parking and Transportation:

Student volunteers will welcome more than 800 children to Wake Forest on Oct. 28 for Project Pumpkin, an annual event that offers an afternoon of Halloween fun.   The arrival of the children prompts the need for some changes regarding parking on that day for the University community.

Two lots near Hearn Plaza, where much of the Halloween fun for children will occur, will operate differently on Oct. 28. Lot B, between Taylor and Davis residence halls, will be closed. Spaces adjacent to the sidewalk in Lot P, on the east side of Wait Chapel, will be set aside for buses bringing and picking up the children.

Faculty/Staff Parking Options:

Parking Lot J, located behind Collins and South residence halls, is available for faculty, staff and general parking. This lot is the least utilized on campus and should providing parking throughout Oct. 28. Routinely, open spaces can also be found in parking lots A and Q, as well as on Wake Forest Road near Wait Chapel.

Whenever parking lots are closed to accommodate special events, carpooling is an option the University recommends. Carpooling can save gas and time looking for a parking space.

Wake Forest Communications and External Relations

Parking lot closures for 'Project Pumpkin'

Project Pumpkin will be held Wednesday, Oct. 29. In order to accommodate buses that will be loading/unloading children from the community, closing of partial parking lots is required. Whenever parking lots are closed for event parking, carpooling is a smart option to consider as it saves gas and time looking for a parking space.

Parking Lot Closures/Restrictions: The inner perimeter (parking spaces closest to the sidewalk) of parking Lot P will be closed. School buses will be loading/unloading in this area. Please use caution.

Faculty/Staff Parking Options: Parking Lot J, located behind Collins and South Residence Halls, is available for faculty, staff and general parking. This lot is the least utilized on campus and should provide parking throughout the day. Parking Lots A, Q and Wake Forest Rd. in front of the Chapel have routine openings on a daily basis.

If you have any questions, please contact Alex Crist at 336-758-2558.

Categories: Events

Project pumpkin

pumpkins.300x175Kick-off your Halloween festivities at the 26th annual Project Pumpkin on Wednesday, Oct. 29 from 3-6 p.m.

Project Pumpkin, an annual service event for children from the Winston-Salem community, is put on by Wake Forest students, faculty and staff who offer a fun and safe trick-or-treating experience. This year’s festival will have a “Space Jam” theme based on the 1990s Looney Tunes movie featuring basketball great Michael Jordan.

The children of faculty and staff are welcome to attend the festival and see the spirit of Pro Humanitate in action. In addition to student-run carnival games, many departments will have a booth with a fun game or activity for your child to enjoy. The festival will be crowded, so please make sure that your child is supervised at all times.

Want to learn more? Please visit the Project Pumpkin website or contact Victoria Lawton, student publicity chair.

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