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Volume 79 • No. 21
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Salute to our local firefighters Pages 19-32
Fairlight’s 2015 Pumpkin Weigh-In: A 675-pound success Lynne Bell
Observer Staff
Arcola’s Doug Whitehead weighed in as the winner with his 675-pound pumpkin at Fairlight’s 16th Annual Pumpkin Weigh-In on Saturday, Oct. 3. Although this year’s winning pumpkin didn’t break last year’s record - with a 1,118-pound pumpkin declared the 2014 winner - the 16th edition of Fairlight’s Annual Pumpkin Weigh-In broke its own attendance record, with this year’s 27 (pumpkin) entries raising nearly $11,000 via its Calcutta. “This is the second year we’ve had to bring in a pumpkin by skid steer,” says Rec Board president, Kyle Hebert. “We’ve raised just shy of $11,000 with our Calcutta. It’s been a great success.” “There’s a bigger turnout this year than there was last year,” says Courtney Fowler of Fairlight. “I think this year’s a record, and there are bigger pumpkins, too.” The 27 pumpkins entered in the event ranged from 27 pounds to Whitehead’s 675-pound winner. Although he wasn’t on hand to witness his win, organizer Gillian Wilson of Fairlight says, “Last year, Doug had a hand in the winning pumpkin, too.” Wilson and her family-husband John and children Lisa, John and Amanda - took the trophy home last year with their massive entry - a recordbreaking 1,118 pound pumpkin. John told The Observer last year: “I work with Doug. He and his mom grow pumpkins and he always wanted to come to Fairlight and enter this. When he found out that I was entering, he said they’d help me grow one.” Like this year’s winner, last year’s entry was transported to the Village of Fairlight by skid steer and made it to the community hall’s doors - but not inside - to be weighed. Other winning pumpkins did make it inside the hall, where the winning growers were announced: Bryson Melnick, Richard Krainyk, Kristine Sauter, Morten Jensen and Kelly Kay. Although each grower has a different formula for growing a winning pumpkin, seed selection is seen by some as critical, according to Gillian Wilson. “Last year, our (teenage) daughter actually crawled inside our big pumpkin to get some seeds out,” she says. “But it’s all good fun and it’s just for bragging rights.” “What this event really does is support our community on two levels,” adds Wilson. “It brings everyone together - especially before winter - and it keeps this building and the Drop-In centre open and in good repair.”
Staff photo by Lynne Bell
For the second year in its 16-year history, Fairlight’s Annual Pumpkin-Weigh-In winning entry had to be brought to the event by skid steer. The 675 pound winning pumpkin (pictured) was grown by Doug Whitehead of Arcola.
See Pumpkin weigh-in on page 2
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