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Pumpkin sale at local church benefits American Indians

The pumpkin patch at Shiloh Church located on the corner of Philadelphia Dr. and North Main St. is now open. The pumpkins were grown on the Navaho reservation in New Mexico. The proceeds from the sale go to the church along with the Navahos. The patch hours are Monday thru Thursday 10:00a.m. to 7:00p.m., Friday 10:00a.m. to 6:00p.m. and Sunday 11:30a.m. to 6:00p.m.

Jim Noelker/Staff photographer The pumpkin patch at Shiloh Church located on the corner of Philadelphia Dr. and North Main St. is now open. The pumpkins were grown on the Navaho reservation in New Mexico. The proceeds from the sale go to the church along with the Navahos. The patch hours are Monday thru Thursday 10:00a.m. to 7:00p.m., Friday 10:00a.m. to 6:00p.m. and Sunday 11:30a.m. to 6:00p.m.

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By Katherine Ullmer, Staff Writer 11:36 PM Friday, October 16, 2009

HARRISON TWP., Montgomery County — A church parking lot, especially along North Main Street, may seem an unlikely spot for a straw-strewn pumpkin patch.

But for five years, Shiloh Church, 5300 Philadelphia Drive, has gotten free pumpkins to raise funds for the church and help support an American Indian reservation where the pumpkins are grown.

More than 1,100 churches nationwide in 42 different states sell pumpkins through the program, said Jay McMillen, pastoral associate at Shiloh Church.

Greenmont-Oak Park Community Church at 1921 Woodman Drive, Kettering, will also have a Family Fall Festival Day planned at their pumpkin patch from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, with children’s games, a bake sale, pony cart ride, pumpkin walk, etc. Their proceeds support their youth program, said Nova Kigar, church secretary.

Shiloh’s pumpkin patch, open daily through Oct. 31, features pumpkins and gourds in all sizes, colors and shapes, with prices from 50 cents to $14.

McMillen said the Navaho reservation in Farmington, N.M., grows pumpkins on land leased from the reservation through an agreement with the Navajo Agricultural Products Industry, made in 1989 when Hurricane Hugo destroyed pumpkins from East Coast suppliers. American Indians help harvest the crop each year.

Shiloh Church gets 25 percent of the profits, McMillen said.

“Our portion is usually used for the church’s mission work,” though this year it’ll be used “to repair our five octaves of hand bells,” he said. “We’ve raised $25,000 over the last five years.”

McMillen said he discovered the fundraising program on the Internet five years ago. They’re getting about 5,000 pumpkins and gourds this year, in two truckloads, he said.

Bales of straw, a straw-strewn lot, and groupings of pumpkins create the flavor of a real pumpkin patch. “When I was a kid we went to the patch to pick out a pumpkin, not to a store,” McMillen said. “When kids come through, their eyes light up.

“Each year more and more of the community is coming in. That makes it all worthwhile. It’s fun,” he said.

Contact this reporter at  (937) 225-2341 or kullmer @DaytonDailyNews.com.

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Children have fun, parents get to support good causes and churches and the reservation benefit from the proceeds. It's a winning situation for everyone involved.

Lynn
7:53 PM, 10/17/2009

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Wow...you can tell you tell all of you are from Ohio...good luck to you! Remember, you can move away from that evil place!

notfromdayton
5:20 PM, 10/17/2009

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Yes, we are all Americans. Just that not all of us are native Americans. They had the initial claim to the land. Just because it got stolen from them and they could not get it back does not make it right.

Kmp
2:08 PM, 10/17/2009

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KMP, ricardo is technically correct. Why does one call African-Americans that, then? They do not all come from Africa. I don't come from Caucasia.

I don't like any name calling. I wish people would just call us what we are. Americans.

anon
1:49 PM, 10/17/2009

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No, they are not Sibero-Americans or any crap like that. They are native Americans. Everyone else are immigrants/not Native-Americans. Just like non native plants like Kudzu which has spread too rapidly and impossible to get rid of.

Kmp
1:09 PM, 10/17/2009

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