Herald-Banner Staff
ROCKWALL —
Cloudy skies and intermittent rain did not stop an annual tradition from taking place on schedule as Rockwall’s Original Pumpkin Patch opened the 24th year with a 9 a.m. ribbon cutting followed by refreshments.
Pamela Whitaker served as mistress of ceremonies and received a proclamation from Rockwall Mayor David Sweet. Sweet introduced the other elected city and officials.
Members of Danny Barentine’s Boy Scout Troop No. 83 performed the flag ceremony and led the Pledge of Allegiance, and officers of the Rockwall High School Stingerettes entertained with a routine.
Continuing another long-held tradition. U.S. Rep. Ralph Hall purchased the first pumpkin. He presented a flag to pumpkin patch volunteer Mary Hanrahan on the 10th anniversary of her becoming a U.S. citizen.
Kathleen Melston, president of Friends of the Rockwall County Library, and Grace Jackson, president of the Council of Catholic Women, cut the ribbon officially opening the event.
Pumpkin Patch continues through Oct. 27 and will be open from at from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily and is located at the Ridge Road Shopping Center, 1201 Ridge Road, near Brookshire’s supermarket.
A wide variety of fall decorating items is available. Pumpkins of all varieties, gourds, squashes, straw bales, cornstalks, and delicious deli items made by members of the sponsoring groups are available for purchase.
Last Wednesday, 64 local students representing the National Honor Society, the senior classes, Interact, PAL, National Junior Honor Society, Key Club and AVID organizations joined other volunteers to unload and display carving and specialty pumpkins, assorted gourds, and Indian corn in preparation for the opening of the Pumpkin Patch. The students gathered after school to help Pumpkin Patch workers complete miscellaneous tasks for the setup. When the two large trucks arrived, Dean Cuzick was ready with a forklift to get the large bins to the staging areas.
For more information about the lineup of children’s activities visit the website: www.rockwallpumpkinpatch.com. Rockwall’s Original Pumpkin Patch is a nonprofit all-volunteer community effort and benefits the Rockwall County Library and Council of Catholic Women or Our Lady of the Lake.
