SAUGUS — The First Congressional Church will sell pumpkins of all sizes on their front lawn from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. every day until Halloween for their twentieth annual Pumpkin Patch.
On Saturday, community members of all ages formed two lines around the front loader of the “pumpkin truck,” passing hundreds of pumpkins down the line, and into the patch.
Pumpkin Patch coordinator Carl Spencer said that he was pleased with the large crowd of volunteers, 50 of whom were Saugus Youth Football players and cheerleaders, that showed up to help move the pumpkins.
“We’re happy to get our pumpkins and appreciate all the people who helped unload the truck. We had about 100 people who helped with the unloading, about 50 players and cheerleaders from Saugus Youth Football and Cheer under the direction of president Greg Bluestein participated on Saturday,” Spencer said. “The church appreciates their help as well as the off-loading of pallets by Agganis Construction. The church truly enjoys providing the community with pumpkins and hosting this great fall event.”
The hundreds of orange gourds that now sit on the First Congressional Church’s front lawn were brought to Saugus from New Mexico, where they were grown on a Navajo Reservation and shipped to Saugus, courtesy of the Navajos.
In 2021, Spencer said that the Navajo growers get a portion of the profits, while the funds from pumpkin sale help them give out two $500 scholarships to Saugus High students each year.
“It’s great for the Navajos, (and) it’s great for the church,” Spencer said.
