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Santa Paula High School Principal Elizabeth Garcia, Rotary President Carlos Juarez and Rotarian Mike Mobley celebrated the contributions of Pumpkin Patch volunteers with checks presented to SPHS clubs and groups. Photo by John Nichols |
Rotary: Nonprofits rewarded for 2016 Pumpkin Patch volunteerism
December 16, 2016
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
The Rotary Club of Santa Paula celebrated the return of the Pumpkin Patch the best way they know, by rewarding nonprofits with thousands of dollars for their support and help.
Rotary President Carlos Juarez and Past President Mike Mobley, the latter who had been deeply involved in reviving the Pumpkin Patch, distributed checks at the December 12 meeting where Rotarians and volunteers had lunch and a visit before the presentations.
The community favorite, conducted by the Rotary who took it over from private interests, was staged at Faulkner Farm UC Hansen Trust until a dispute ended the relationship in 2014.
The entire community felt the loss of the Pumpkin Patch that each year had provided funds for youth activities and other nonprofit programs.
It wasn’t until this year that Rotary was able to open a bigger and better Pumpkin Patch at Limoneira Olivelands Ranch off of Foothill Road, where a new 5-acre Corn MaiZe proved to be popular. Traditional attractions, including the famed Pumpkin Chucker, were also a part of the Patch.
The larger venue and Corn MaiZe required even more volunteers than usually needed and area service clubs and organizations stepped up to the challenge.
The Pumpkin Patch, held each weekend in October and available for school tours, was visited by more than 17,000 people this year, a number that was not only close to previous years but one that pleased Rotarians who thought it might take time to rebuild attendance.
At the December 12 Rotary Meeting funds were distributed to representatives of the Future Farmers of America, which ran a Petting Zoo at the Pumpkin Patch; the Hokuloa Outrigger Canoe Club, which operated the Corn MaiZe and provided general labor; the Santa Paula Optimist Club, which provides parking service at numerous special events; the Isbell Middle School Cancer Crushers; Rotary Interact Club; Santa Paula High School Girls Wrestling; SPHS Girls Basketball; SPHS Girls Soccer; SPHS Girls Cheerleading; SPHS Boys Basketball; SPHS Octagon Club; SPHS Band; Nordhoff School Girls Soccer; Boy Scouts; Isbell Middle School and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Clara Valley. The Rotary Scholarship Fund was also a recipient of the proceeds.
“We truly could not have put on such a successful Pumpkin Patch without the many volunteers,” said Juarez.
