CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW) — What began as a church fundraiser has grown into a beloved community event.
First United Methodist Church in downtown Conway raises about $20,000 annually to support youth missions and ministries — while offering nearly 10,000 pumpkins to pick from.
Senior pastor Kyle Randle says the pumpkins — which arrive in two shipments — are sold by size, not weight.
“We have a tool that we use that wraps around them. We start with the stem of the pumpkin, and it helps provide us with the measurement. Probably on average, a pumpkin’s size is between $8 to $12,” Randle said.
With Hurricane Helene’s destruction across western North Carolina, Randle said a newly added scarecrow competition will benefit the region’s recovery efforts.
A Sunday trunk-or-treat on Oct. 27 will include a collection box for people to donate for their favorite, with all proceeds going toward Helene relief.
Randle said volunteers go through the patch to swap out bruised and damaged pumpkins but if one become rotted once it gets home, the church will replace it at no cost.