Pumpkin Festival Raises More Than $50,000 for Camp Sunshine to Benefit Children and Families in Need

Inclement weather does not dampen spirit of L.L. Bean-hosted event that featured 5,200 lit jack-o-lanterns and more than 40 Camp Sunshine families

CASCO, Maine (November 14, 2011) – Camp Sunshine’s annual Pumpkin Festival at L.L. Bean raised more than $50,000 for the one-of-a-kind national retreat in Casco that helps children with life-threatening illnesses and their families, Camp Sunshine officials announced Monday.

An unseasonable major snowstorm did not dampen the spirits of festival-goers and the 250 volunteers on hand for the ninth-annual Pumpkin Festival on Oct. 29 in Freeport, Maine. As 5,200 jack-o-lanterns were lit, snowflakes filled the air to add a charming wintery touch to an already spectacular visual display.

“We’re so appreciative to everyone who took part in the Pumpkin Festival, with special thanks to our friends at L.L. Bean and our corporate partners who believe so strongly in our mission,” said Matthew M. Hoidal, Esq., executive director at Camp Sunshine. “Even with a snowstorm bearing down, the event was a success in every way, enabling Camp Sunshine to touch the lives of even more families in need of support.”

The day-long, family event, presented by Hancock Lumber and Androscoggin Bank, also featured kid’s activities, pumpkin pie, mascot Pumpkin Pete, corporate carving challenge, whoopie pie eating contest and a pumpkins-on-wheels derby.

More than 40 families attending a Pumpkin Festival Weekend Session at Camp Sunshine (www.campsunshine.org) visited the event. Camp Sunshine’s Pumpkin Festivals have now raised more than $1 million over the years to help keep the Camp’s year-round medical and psychosocial support programs available to families year-round, free of charge.

Festival participants, together with corporate sponsors Hancock Lumber, Androscoggin Bank, Downeast Energy and Spectrum Medical Group, donated money to Camp Sunshine by sponsoring for $10 each the 5,200 pumpkins used in the display. Together they raised enough to fund an entire week at Camp Sunshine for more than two dozen families in need, Hoidal said.

“Hancock Lumber Company has long-been a supporter of Camp Sunshine and we are proud to continue in that tradition,” said Kevin Hancock, Hancock Lumber Company President. “It is a great organization that has provided a first-class retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Being a part of their organization is a natural fit and we’re proud to be connected to Camp Sunshine and its extended family.”

Christine Conrad, Senior Vice President and Marketing Director at Androscoggin Bank, echoed those sentiments.

“Androscoggin Bank was proud to team up with other like-minded corporate sponsors to contribute to Camp Sunshine’s Pumpkin Festival,” Conrad said. “The great turnout was a testament to the widely-held public recognition that Camp Sunshine produces excellent events in support of their unique and critical mission. It was wonderful to see families enjoying autumn in Maine, while raising money for this great cause.”

Also, Mary Caswell of Leland, N.C., won two round-trip tickets from Jet Blue as part of a drawing tied to the pumpkin sponsorships.

L.L. Bean helped fund event expenses, ensuring that festival income will go directly to helping families at Camp Sunshine, Hoidal added.

Located in Casco, Maine, along Sebago Lake, Camp Sunshine provides a welcome retreat for children and their families coping with such life-threatening illnesses as cancer, kidney disease and lupus. Since 1984, Camp Sunshine has offered recreational, medical and counseling services at no cost to more than 32,000 individuals from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds.

For more information about Camp Sunshine’s programs and to learn more about volunteering or making a donation, visit the camp’s website at www.campsunshine.org, or call (207) 655-3800.

About Camp Sunshine
Camp Sunshine offers children with life-threatening illnesses and their families a place to relax together for a week, and to take a break from the extraordinary demands placed upon them on a daily basis. The year-round program is free of charge and staffed almost entirely by volunteers. It is the only program in the nation whose mission is to address the impact of a life-threatening illness on every member of the immediate family — the ill child, the parents and the siblings. Since its inception in 1984, Camp Sunshine has provided a haven for more than 32,000 individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. In addition to providing 24-hour on-site medical and psychosocial support, the camp offers a variety of daily activities, including swimming, boating, archery and soccer, and special events such as bonfires and cookouts. To support Camp Sunshine, please call (207) 655-3800 or visit www.campsunshine.org.

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Here is more information about Camp Sunshine