A worried looking gourd was the first casualty of Port Elgin Missionary Church’s annual Pumpkin Drop October 22.

Hub Staff

With more pumpkins and gourds thrown into the mix at this year’s Port Elgin Missionary Church Pumpkin Drop, the rescheduled October 22 event was a smashing success.

Not only did members of the congregation take part in various pumpkin related activities such as mini-golf, a pumpkin sling-shot, and pumpkin plinko - all to raise funds for Operation Christmas Child - but hefty vegetables left over from Port Elgin’s Pumpkinfest weekend were also dropped from great heights.

Operation Christmas Child is a donation of shoe boxed sized gifts which will be sent in mid-November to children in need across the globe and the church decided to have some seasonal fun to help raise awareness for the project as well as funds to help cover shipping costs.

Pastor Gary Harvey told the crowd that if they raised over $250 he would participate in a pumpkin-guts slip n’ slide. With rancid pumpkin innards strategically placed on a tarp the congregation quickly raised over $300, and cheered Harvey on as he slid into the pumpkin slime.

Co-organizer Carrie Young wanted to thank the church members for their efforts, Port Elgin Home Hardware who provided their crane for the pumpkin smashing, Harvey Construction and Rowland’s Independent Grocer for providing smaller pumpkins.

Young said that the church will be collecting filled Operation Christmas Child boxes until November 5, with a little bit of “wiggle room” and is open from Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. She added that she often includes school supplies in the Christmas boxes she donates. “I like school supplies because I was a supply teachers for years, and I know the value of that because a lot of these kids in different countries get to go to school if they have school supplies and I think that’s a pretty amazing thing.”

Toys are good too,” added Young.

The Pumpkin Drop event helped raised awareness and funds for Operation Christmas Child. Co-organizer Carrie Young said there are many shoeboxes left to be filled and can be picked up at the Port Elgin church.

Co-Organizer Tina Aasman helped members of the Port Elgin Missionary Church congregation play pumpkin plinko.

The crane provided by Port Elgin Home Hardware helped many vegetables meet their maker October 22.

After the congregation raised $300, as promised Pastor Gary Harvey slid through a pumpkin guts slip ’n slide.

Pastor Gary Harvey didn’t seem any worse for wear following his slip ’n slide.

Pumpkin guts filled the grass next to Port Elgin’s Missionary Church, the site of Port Elgin Pumpkinfest.