Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Entries are now being accepted for the Lennox and Addington Senior Outreach Services’ Holiday Pumpkin Contest.
Running from until Oct. 22, participants can drop off their decorated gourds, or a picture of it, to the L&A SOS office at 12 Richmond Park Dr. in Napanee. Submissions can also be made via email to Brittany@lasos.ca.
The cost to enter is $5 to submit a pumpkin and the contest is open to all ages. Carvers can get as creative as they like with their designs, whether they go for a classic jack-o-lantern face or something completely different.
Once all the entries have been collected, photos of each pumpkin will be posted to the Lennox and Addington Seniors Outreach Services Facebook page. Members of the community can then vote for their favourite for the week of Oct. 25-31.
The top vote getter will win a pedicure from Touch of Wellness. Second place wins a free yearlong membership to the SOS 55 Plus centre.
This month is also the L&A SOS Annual Giving Campaign, which continues through Oct. 31. Donations can be made through CanadaHelps.org and searching Lennox and Addington Senior Outreach Services Inc.
SOS’s mission is to ‘provide quality integrated health services and recreation opportunities for seniors through various programs and activities, enabling seniors to remain independent, active and in their homes.’
Cash or cheque donations can also be made in person at 12 Richmond Park Dr. or by calling 613-354-6668.
Like all registered charities, the last year has been a difficult one for L&A SOS as they’ve seen many of their fundraising opportunities shutdown due to the pandemic, including their popular home tour. During a recent visit to Greater Napanee council, members of L&A SOS’s board of directors estimated they raised about $10,000 through fundraising initiatives last year, down from the usual $20,000 they would typically raise in a non-pandemic year.