It was pumpkin-picking time for many area residents Saturday when dozens of families made their way to J.F. Gregory Park for the Richmond Hill Garden Club’s 13th annual Pumpkin Patch.
Children were greeted with a smile and a lollipop from the Pumpkin Lady, the club’s very own Debby Paduszynski, as they made their way to the hundreds of pumpkins, mums and hay bales waiting under the pavilion.
Just two hours after the patch opened, club president Lori Pommerenck deemed the event a success.
“It’s been fabulous — we’ve had a lot of people and a lot of little ones,” Pommerenck said. “It’s become an annual tradition for a lot of families — they come and get their fall pictures with the hay, mums and pumpkins. We have had a lot of young families and the vignette for pictures has been super busy.”
The club started out the day with 500 pumpkins and 100 mums, and Pommerenck said Tuesday the club sold everything.
“There were a lot more people than we were expecting,” she added. “We were busier than last year, and we are very happy.”
In addition to the essential fall decorations, kids’ activities and other treats were also plentiful. Club members donated fall-themed goodies to the bake sale, including cookies, candy and more.
Kids enjoyed carnival-style games like a “fish pond” and jack-o-lantern bean bag toss.
Elizabeth Ann Luck, 5, said she was having fun at the pumpkin ring toss. Her sister, Allie Luck, said they hadn’t found a pumpkin yet although they’d seen a few they liked. Elizabeth said she was going to carve a fairy princess into her pumpkin.
Pommerenck said all 57 members of the club helped out in some way. Club member Linda Bessent was working the jack-o-lantern toss booth and said that booth was busy all day.
“We have been real busy here, the kids seem to enjoy it — they come back over and over,” Bessent said. “It’s amazing how good some of them are. It’s always fun to see the kids.”

Read more in the Oct. 10 edition of the News.