Just northwest of Vaughn, 23-year-old Jordan Schroeder and his dad Phil are preparing for their annual "Pumpkins For A Cause" event on Saturday, October 1st.
Jordan, a member of Special Olympics, started the idea by giving out pumpkins several years ago, until his parents worked with him to create an annual event to help non-profit agencies in the community.
This will be the eighth year hosting the event. Some of the agencies they've worked with include the Great Falls Rescue Mission, Eagle Mount Great Falls, and Peace Place. This year, donations will go to benefit Alliance For Youth as a part of their mission in serving our community's vulnerable youth and families.
Jordan's father Phil stated, "We're always thankful for the community that supports him, and all the things they do for him. This is an opportunity for us to give back to the community. We started in May planting 600 hills this year, and we look for an organization towards the end of the summer when we are confident that we'll have a crop ... We work with the organizations that have been the benefactors in the past. Alliance for Youth has come up in discussions for the past few years, and for the programs they provide to the youth, as well as families. I believe they serve a 10-county area, so we have been delighted to be working with them and looking forward this Saturday for our big event."
Alliance For Youth director Kristy Pontet-Stroop said, "We feel incredibly honored the Schroeder family would select us. especially given the work they do, bringing these pumpkins to full life. They do all of this to give back and bring joy to the families that come by, and even further, any donations made comes to benefit us. It shows they have such big hearts to give to our community and do all this work to benefit the community. We're happy to be on board."
She added, "The donations will be equally spread across different areas and programs Alliance For Youth offers, such as their Youth Recourse Center, Substance Abuse Prevention, The Sober Life, and Parenting Services.
This year will also feature a handicapped-accessible hayride wagon that can secure two wheelchairs, which was brought about through a grant by the Montana Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities, The Community Investment Fund, and The Children Special Health Services, as well as Montana Transition Resources Project.
The event will be from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. at 87 Meridian Lane (northwest of Vaughn). For more information or to donate, you can contact Phil at 406-217-1344, or click here to visit the Facebook page.
TRENDING ARTICLES
- OUTRAGE: woman kills dog, not wolf
- Threat: "shoot up" Great Falls school
- OPENING: Crumbl Cookies in GF
- Officer assaulted; GF woman charged
- Eye On Great Falls: new restaurants
- CLOSING: Loading Zone, Playground
- Recent obituaries on KRTV