In the wee morning hours one late September day, a large truck from the Dykeman Family Farm, about 35 miles away in Pawling, NY, arrived at the Wilton Historical Society for the start of the Wilton Kiwanis Club’s 2021 Pumpkin Patch.
Kiwanis Club members unloaded more than 20,000 pounds of pumpkins from that truck this past weekend, and for anyone riding up Danbury Rd., the sea of orange can’t be missed.
In the first two days of the month-long fundraiser, the Kiwanis Club raised a record amount of more than $4,500 in sales.
Paul Hannah, who along with Mike Safko leads this annual fall fundraiser, was very encouraged. “We have been selling pumpkins for the last six years. With a cumulative profit of more than $72,640 this effort rivals our winter citrus effort as the greatest Kiwanis fundraiser.”
For more than half of those years the supplier has been Dykeman Farms, giving Wilton Kiwanis favored status as one of their largest clients. “The pumpkins we get are the highest quality. And the people of Dykeman Farm could not be more friendly and cooperative,” said Safko.
Besides pumpkins, there are mums, decorative gourds, and even cactus — grown locally by Ray Moskow — available. All of the profits benefit local charities. Newly installed Kiwanis President Den Taylor thanked the Historical Society for its long-standing partnership with the club and added, “We are also happy, once again, to devote all profits from Columbus Day weekend sales to the Wilton Library.”
Everyone involved in the Pumpkin Patch works hard and has fun greeting Wilton families and children to share in the fun of the season. A total of 195 daily shifts are filled by Kiwanis and partner volunteers for the month-long fundraiser, which is open every day through Oct. 31, 2021 (Monday-Friday, 1-5:30 p.m. and Saturday/Sunday, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m.).
The Pumpkin Patch will get restocked during the month, as Henry Dykeman promised. ” I look forward to a couple more nightly trips to Wilton to make sure the pumpkins are fresh and the assortment is large and attractive.”
For more information about the Wilton Kiwanis Club visit the club’s website.