People unleashed their artistic talents on pumpkins for the first Great Pumpkin Event hosted by the Chatham-Kent Women’s Centre.
Staff, board members and the community at large carved pumpkins and donated them to the centre to raise funds for the United Way. The finished products, from Nemo to the Cookie Monster to the Chatham-Kent Fire Department insignia, are all available for sale this week every day from 4-9 p.m. in front of the Women’s Centre on Sandys Street, just north of Grand Avenue.
Centre Executive Director Karen Hunter said each carved pumpkin is for sale for a suggested price of $10. There will also be snacks available for sale each evening.
On Nov., 20 shelters across Ontario, including Chatham, will participate in the Shine the Light campaign, which is designed to bring awareness to the issue of abuse against women. People in the community are being asked to purchase purple lights, available at Home Hardware on Keil Drive, and replace outdoor lights or lamps. The purple light, according to Hunter, is a symbol of courage and hope.
She asks though, that people respect the time period from Nov. 1-11 as belonging to awareness to the Royal Canadian Legions and Remembrance Day, and not put the purple lights out until Nov. 12.
November will also see the Centre’s Wrapped in Courage campaign with the sale of purple scarves and a flag-raising and walk on Nov. 1 from the Chatham-Kent Civic Centre to the Evangelical church on Sandys street starting at noon.
