Giant pumpkins are once again helping raise funds for CancerCare Manitoba.
The Pumpkin Promise fundraiser has returned for its 11th year, with multiple giant carved pumpkins on display on Baisinger Drive in Winnipeg.
Chris Okell founded the Pumpkin Promise as a tribute to his mother Marietta, who died in 2010 from pancreatic cancer.
“We were a big Halloween family, and she just loved giving back to the kids,” he said.
The giant pumpkins come from Manitoba growers who participate in the Roland Pumpkin Fair. They range in size from 400 lbs to just over 2,000 lbs.
A giant pumpkin carved in Winnipeg for the Pumpkin Promise is seen on Oct. 28, 2024. (Joseph Bernacki/CTV News Winnipeg)
“When they kick in, they grow anywhere between 40 to 50 pounds a day,” Okell said.
People come by to see the pumpkins and donate money to CancerCare Manitoba. Okell said this year, he’s hoping to raise $6,000.
He added that people from around the world have come to see his pumpkins.
A giant pumpkin flanked by several smaller ones carved in Winnipeg for the Pumpkin Promise is seen on Oct. 28, 2024. (Joseph Bernacki/CTV News Winnipeg)
“This event has even reached Ireland. The other day, it reached Calgary. It’s just, unfortunately, someone gets touched by cancer, so I’m just trying to do my part for as long as I can.”
More information about the pumpkins can be found online.
-With files from CTV’s Joseph Bernacki