The Wesley Foundation hosts their third annual Pumpkin Project, painting pumpkins for the homebound.
On Tuesday, Oct. 6, the Wesley Foundation hosted their third annual Pumpkin project outside of their building. People from all backgrounds, whether they were active members of the group, people looking to serve their community or students simply looking for a fun break from studying, gathered to eat smores and paint pumpkins for homebound Tulsans.
Executive Director of the Wesley Foundation Reverend Emily L. Robnett stated, “[The Pumpkin Project] was something that I started when I was first appointed to the Wesley Foundation. … I was looking for a way to not only connect with the campus, but also with the people in our local community.” She explains that people who are homebound, who she defines as “people who are generally not mobile enough to leave their homes,” can often be overlooked during holidays besides Christmas. She says, “At Christmas time, there’s all kinds of things that people will do … but if you’re homebound during Halloween, there’s not really much.” It was with a goal to change this reality and share the Halloween festivities that this Wesley tradition was born. According to Robnett, what may seem like a simple gesture can be incredibly impactful: “We paint the pumpkins, we give them to the local congregations and [they] make the visits and deliver the gifts. It [says], ‘people were thinking of you, we made this for you and we want you to know that you are not forgotten.’”
Besides acting as an opportunity to give back to Tulsa, the Pumpkin Project also provided a space for students to come together. Addison Thomas, a freshman English major, said, “The Pumpkin Project was so fun, and I’m glad I took a break from studying to attend. It was a good reprieve from the stress of midterms.” In addition to this, she described that “the atmosphere was very chill … the people there were super kind and easy to talk with.” Even more, Thomas felt, it helped to know she was taking a break for a good cause. She expressed, “it feels even better to know my pumpkins will be helping someone in the community.”
This year’s Pumpkin Project had a great turnout, and there are plenty of pumpkins waiting to be delivered to TU’s neighbors. Whether they bear classic Halloween icons, joyful colors and shapes, beautiful flowers, lovable characters or one cute pig, a little bit of Halloween spirit will make its way through our community.
Looking forward, Robnett highlights a few upcoming events and projects the Wesley Foundation will be hosting, and emphasizes that everybody is welcome to participate. She says, “We have pride worship. … It won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, but it’s definitely for those who need it. … It’s really interesting because it’s a traditional service but with modern elements to it.” Additionally, she shares, “We [also] do a service project every month … we are going to do Night Light later this month. People are always welcome to come and serve with us. We love it.”
The Wesley foundation shares information about their upcoming events on their website, and they welcome anybody and everybody to join them.
