Calling all pumpkin artists!
Little T’s Mini Golf is hosting a pumpkin decoration competition for this year’s Halloween to raise funds for The Call in Baxter County, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping foster children and foster parents within Baxter County.
The winner of the pumpkin decoration competition will be announced during a lantern lighting ceremony on Nov. 5 at Little T’s Mini Golf facility.
“We really have a heart for this,” said Scott Tavegia, owner of Little T’s Mini Golf. “So, we created a painted pumpkin contest. All we did was ask some people in the community to paint a pumpkin and drop it off. And we built all of this interior shelving, and right now, we have over 55 pumpkins.”
Entering Little T’s pumpkin painting contest is easy. You find a pumpkin, paint it, and drop it off at the main party building at Little T’s.
The pumpkin will then be placed on one of the various shelving units spread throughout the building. Those looking to win the contest better bring the heat, though, because some stunning pumpkins are already on display.
Local businesses from all over the area have created some unique and creative pumpkins boasting designs from Disney’s The Mandalorian to a fully decorated Minion pumpkin from The Despicable Me franchise.
The current leader in this year’s contest is the Minion pumpkin, with over 200 votes.
Donating to The Call is just as easy. Donors can pop into Little T’s any time and purchase one ticket for $1 or 10 tickets for $5. All donations will go directly to The Call during Little T’s Nov. 5 lantern lighting ceremony.
“The Call helps if a family has all of the prerequisite knowledge and abilities [to foster], but maybe they’re missing a bed, a crib, or diapers and formula,” Tavegia said. “Maybe a desk if they’re an older child. They provide those things. And what they’ve been trying to do for a long time is create more awareness over what they do.”
The Call is a non-profit organization that mobilizes local churches to serve local children and youth placed in foster care. They provide a way for Christians to invite the mission field into their homes to serve those most vulnerable in their communities.
The Call partners with the Division of Children and Family Services to recruit, train and support foster and adoptive families for children and teens in foster care.
In Baxter County alone, there are currently 47 children in foster care. Sadly, 23 of those children have to be placed outside of Baxter County because of a lack of foster homes.
In Baxter County, 58 churches are currently assisting The Call alongside 13 dedicated families who have taken in many of the community’s foster children.
“Some of the children are already being pulled out of a family unit,” Tavegia said. “That’s now magnified because they’re being pulled out of their school; they’re being pulled out of their network of people they know.”
