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By Laura Drinan
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Many children would say the candy and costumes are the absolute best part of Halloween. However, while overflowing buckets of sweets are undeniably awesome and dressing up is certainly enjoyable, the Halloween season doesn’t quite feel right until you’ve decorated or carved a pumpkin. Making the spooky season feel more complete was the Dover Town Library, who hosted a pumpkin contest.
With 30 pumpkins donated from Volante Farms, children were invited to check out the pumpkins with their library cards and take them home to decorate. Just as they would with any library item, the pumpkin artists returned their festive gourds for library-goers to vote on in the upper level from October 27 to the 30 – the day Nancy Tegeler, head of Children’s Services, announced the winners.
Decorated pumpkins, including a painted striped one, a witch pumpkin, and one carved and decorated as Jason from “Friday the 13th,” vied for first place in the pumpkin competition. Before announcing the winner, though, Dover Police Chief Peter McGowan, reminded the children of some Halloween safety tips. As for the anticipated overflowing trick-or-treating bags, Chief McGowan reminded the children that he would always be happy to take any Almond Joys off of their hands.
After hearing about the children’s costumes, Nancy was ready to reveal the winners.
In the pumpkin-decorating category, two-year-old Allie Story won with her painted black cat pumpkin. For the pumpkin-carving category, five-year-old Jackson Story, Allie’s brother, won for his carved pumpkin adorned with string lights. The two were awarded little gift baskets filled with candies and toys.
In the upstairs level of the library, the community was invited to view the pumpkins and snack on Halloween cookies. Children and their parents marveled at the pumpkins, like the one decorated with a red nose and party favors to be a clown, ones with scary faces, and one that said “Scare me if you can.”
“It got the whole community involved,” said Tegeler as the kids ran around her, viewing the pumpkins with cookies in their hands. “I don’t have enough space for all of these pumpkins downstairs, and having [them] up here got some of the adults and community members voting, so it was really fun.”
