LRSF names winners of the annual Pumpkin Contest

GILFORD — The 3rd annual Pumpkin Contest has come to a close. Lakes Region Scholarship Foundation Executive Director, Karen Switzer commented, “We are so grateful to all who supported the foundation with creative pumpkin figure displays, as well as those who donated prizes for our raffle.” She added, “There were so many wonderful entries this year, it was a difficult decision for the judges.”

There were a number of categories for contestants to enter, either schools; businesses; nonprofits or families. Awards were presented for best in each of these categories as well as some additional awards for cutest, most unique, scariest, creative use of materials and best figure created by child.

One of the most unique group of entries, again this year, were from the Huot Technical Center in Laconia. Eight different department groups created pumpkins relating to their fields of study and Switzer, noted that they were “outstanding.”

The creations were reviewed by a set of three judges, made up of a member LRSF board of trustees as well as two guest judges. The Best Overall winner went to the residents and staff of the St. Francis Home. The winners in each category of the other categories were: Best Business: LaChance Water Filtration; Best Nonprofit: Belknap House; Best School: HUOT Career & Technical Center; Best Family/Group: the Barros Family and Best by a Child: Bella Barry.

In the special awards categories, the winners were: Cutest: RFS Engineering; Scariest: Laconia Rod and Gun and the Most Unique: The CAKE theatre, with a special the students of the HUOT Law Enforcement class.

The Huot Technical Center entries for 2022 were: the accounting class with Three Little Pigs; building construction with a Construction Pumpkin Man; culinary arts offered Chef Pumpkin; health sciences presented Dr. Pumpkin performing pumpkin surgery; personal finance had Money, Money, Money; plumbing and heating students created P. Pumpkin, Superhero Plumber (complete with working pipes and flowing water); teacher prep classes offered a pumpkin Apple Picking Field Trip and special recognition this year went to the law enforcement class who presented A Day in Court. The LRSF judges reported that choosing a winner from all of these excellent entries was very difficult.

The foundation staff reported that they were pleased to receive donations of gift cards from local individuals and businesses. These gift cards were used for prizes and for the Pumpkin Figure raffle, which was new for the foundation this year. They added that if anyone was not able to get out and see the pumpkin figures, pictures of all of the entries are on the Lakes Region Scholarship Facebook page.