Ten Wal-Mart Stores in Region Hosting Charity Pumpkin Carving Events This Saturday in Pursuit of World Record

Downeast Energy also invites public to help carve 1,000 pumpkins in Brunswick on Oct. 2; Events in preparation for attempt at Guinness World Record for the most lit jack-o-lanterns at Camp Sunshine's Maine Pumpkin Festival on Oct. 4

Wal-Mart and Downeast Energy & Building Supply are hosting charity pumpkin carving events throughout the state over the next week in support of Camp Sunshine’s Maine Pumpkin Festival on Oct. 4.

The pumpkins carved at the events will be on display at the pumpkin festival at the Cumberland Fairgrounds and bolster efforts to break the Guinness World Record for the most lit jack-o-lanterns. All proceeds will benefit Camp Sunshine, a national retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families located in Maine’s Sebago Lakes region.

This Saturday (Sept. 27), Wal-Mart is hosting pumpkin carving events in front of 10 stores across the region. Each store will have 100 pumpkins on hand for the public to carve, starting at 10 a.m. Store locations are in Falmouth, Windham, Brunswick, Augusta, Auburn, Oxford, Farmington, Mexico, North Conway, N.H. and Gorham, N.H.

Next Thursday (Oct. 2), Downeast Energy & Building Supply is inviting the public to help carve 1,000 pumpkins from noon to 6:30 p.m. at its corporate headquarters at 18 Spring Street in Brunswick. Downeast mascot Captain Puffin will be on hand to help meet the challenge.

“We are grateful for Wal-Mart’s and Downeast Energy’s support and we encourage folks from around the state to head out to these locations and support their efforts on behalf of Camp Sunshine,” said Matthew M. Hoidal, Executive Director of Camp Sunshine.

Additionally, Camp Sunshine is hosting community carving nights for the towns of Falmouth, Yarmouth and Cumberland at the Cumberland Fairgrounds on Oct. 1-3.

Residents of each town will compete to carve the most pumpkins. Wednesday night (Oct. 1) is reserved for Falmouth residents, Thursday night (Oct. 2) for Yarmouth residents, and Friday night (Oct. 3) for Cumberland residents. Residents of these towns are encouraged to bring as many carved pumpkins as they can to help their town win the challenge and earn bragging rights.

All of the pumpkins will be on display at the Maine Pumpkin Festival on Oct. 4 at the fairgrounds. Organizers hope the community efforts will help Camp Sunshine break its own Guinness World Record of 30,128 lit jack-o-lanterns, set at the Boston Pumpkin Festival in 2006. Presented by Hancock Lumber, the pumpkin festival also will include live music, magic shows, a costume parade, pie-eating contest, face painting, great food and of course, pumpkin carving.

The event takes place from noon to 8 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring carved pumpkins and votive candles. Admission is free and parking is $5 at the fairgrounds.

To learn more about the event and/or to support Camp Sunshine, call 207-655-3800 or visit www.campsunshine.org.

Camp Sunshine, located in Casco, Maine, provides a camp vacation at no charge to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. The camp offers one of the only programs in the nation whose mission is to address the impact of a life-threatening illness on every member of the immediate family. While attending the various week-long camps, families are able to rebuild relationships together and meet other families facing similar challenges. The program includes 24-hour onsite medical and psychosocial support. Bereavement groups also are offered for families who have lost a child to an illness.

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