Snow on the Pumpkins Does Not Dampen Spirits at the 9th Annual Camp Sunshine Pumpkin Festival

Despite the Halloween Nor’easter, Camp Sunshine’s 2011 Pumpkin Festival raised more than $50,000 to help support children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.
 
Not even a major snowstorm could dampen the spirits of 25,000 festival-goers, 250 volunteers, and the more than 40 Camp Sunshine families that were in attendance.  L.L. Bean’s campus was aglow as 5,200 jack-o-lanterns were lit in a spectacular display.

The day-long, festive family event, presented by Hancock Lumber and Androscoggin Bank, also featured great music, delicious food, kid’s activities, Pumpkin Pete’s costume parade sponsored by Downeast Energy, a corporate carving challenge, a whoopie pie eating contest, and a “pumpkins-on-wheels” derby.

Festival participants, together with corporate sponsors, donated to Camp Sunshine by sponsoring pumpkins for $10 each.  At the conclusion of the event - 5,200 jack-o-lanterns had been sponsored and displayed. Together, these donors raised enough to fund an entire week at Camp Sunshine for more than three dozen families in need.

Congratulations to Mary Caswell of Leland, N.C., who sponsored a pumpkin and won two round-trip tickets from Jet Blue. Congratulations also to Downeast Energy for winning the coveted Corporate Carving Cup, dethroning the 2009 and 2010 champions, Kemp Goldberg Partners.

Also, special thanks to our friends at L.L. Bean who not only hosted the event but also generously helped cover event expenses, ensuring that festival income will go directly to helping families at Camp Sunshine. 

We hope to see you all next year!