2024 Pumpkin Patch Delights

Each October, the campus transforms into a whimsical painted pumpkin patch for the time-honored Parent Faculty Association and FWCD tradition of Pumpkin Patch. For over 15 years, The Patch has offered hundreds of delightful creations, with color, glitter, ribbons and other flair, to raise money for the school.

Central Market donated approximately 550 pumpkins this year. During the Pumpkin Patch presale, a faux pumpkin option was provided for the class and class year pumpkins. The PFA’s 60 volunteer artists painted, topped and glittered 510 pumpkins for the sale. The remaining were sold to families in their natural form for carving and painting at home. 

“Some volunteers were there for just a pumpkin or two; some showed up day after day. ALL of them were vital to the success of the Pumpkin Patch,” said Pumpkin Patch Co-chairs Beth Smith and Laura Fierer. “The big new hits at the Pumpkin Patch this year were Beetlejuice, Sephora, Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, Wild Robot and Roller Rabbit. We had several seniors come back to the Pumpkin Patch with their parents this year so they could buy their last pumpkins. That was pretty special.”

Always an exciting event, the Faux Pumpkin Auction featured six specialty pumpkin packages: SWAT Experience, featuring a class field trip to the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Training Facility; Fort Wonder 2025 Signature Camp Enrollment; Kona Ice Party on the Playground; A Day in the Life of County Judge Tim O’Hare, featuring a tour of the historic 1895 Courthouse; Mayor for a Day with Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; and Kinderpumpkin with a  Portraits with Personality mini-session. 

Sixteen artists worked their magic, creating faux pumpkin works of art. Comprising Fort Worth artists, FWCD parents (names in bold), and FWCD faculty and staff (names in bold), the 16 artists created gorgeous painted faux pumpkins for the auction. Artists were Kimmy Spicer (Macaroon Delight, Cupcake Delight), Margery Gosset (Creepy Carrots), Leigh Taylor Bornitz ’95 (For the Love of Fall), Amanda Kinson (Pattern Play Trio), Noelle Overturf (Floral Frenzy), Caroline Poe (Chinoiserie), Mimi Clemons (Stripes of the Season), Sheree Kinnaird (A Halloween Story, Fall Harvest Trilogy), Erin Ypya (The Itsy Glitzy Spider), Debbie Chapa (Spooky Halloween Abstract), Cyndi Holt (After Matisse), Dorrine DeChant (Galveston), Chelsy Beninate (Election Day), Emmanuel Piperno (Spooky Skeleton), Elda Piperno (Harvest Wishes), and Jenn Brezina (Autumn Calling). 

Smith and Fierer are grateful to everyone who helped make this year’s Patch a success. “We want to express our deep appreciation for everyone; Central Market, the volunteers, artists, faculty, staff, parents, and kids,” they said. “None of this happens without every one of them. Thank you!“