Students carve 300 pumpkins

By Jess Camp

Published Oct. 31, 2006

Fall is the time when pumpkins are in their prime.

Whether they are baked as a pie, picked through for seed-spitting contests or carved into a jack-o-lantern, pumpkins are a staple of autumn.

The Department of Student Life offered 300 free pumpkins for students to carve Monday in Brady Commons.

Assistant Director of the Department of Student Life Kathy Murray said the tradition of students carving pumpkins has happened for at least the past 10 years. Typically 400-600 pumpkins are available for the students on a first-come, first-served basis. This year, because the crop was decimated by drought, Student Life purchased only 300 pumpkins.

Those with a student ID were able to carve pumpkins for free. They were able to choose from a variety of patterns to use for carving. These varied from werewolves, ghosts and cats to MU Tiger paw prints and a patriotic theme with stars and stripes.

"We thought this would be a fun way to celebrate Halloween and to keep the tradition that students have in their home alive," Murray said. "It also gives international students who may never have experienced Halloween a chance to carve their first pumpkins."

MU freshman Trevor Bolliger said he has been waiting for this event all school year.

"I saw it in my planner in the beginning of the year," Bolliger said. "It was one event that I knew I just had to go to."

Other people heard about the opportunity to carve pumpkins through posters, fliers and newspaper ads.

"I read about it," senior Jessica Whalen said. "I was going to wait in Brady when I realized that it was here today. It's a good way to waste time between classes."

As a first-time carver, senior Lance White enjoyed his experience with the stringy mess inside the pumpkin. He figured out that he had to remove the guts of the pumpkin.

He knew that it would be messy, he said, with his arms elbow deep in the pumpkin insides.

Many students revere the art of carving pumpkins.

"It's my tradition. I do it every year," senior Kim Woodford said.

Others joined in with their friends and took the tradition to the extreme.

"Every year my roommates and I get together and go Halloween crazy," Whalen said. "We carved 20 pumpkins already."

The members of Student Life who helped work and organize the carving event have a quid pro quo relationship with the Subway restaurant in Brady Commons. They gave the food venue some pumpkins to decorate the store, and in return they received free Subway sandwiches for their volunteers.