November 2, 2006

Spooktacular Celebration

Graystone Pumpkin Bust spells fun for students, faculty, family and volunteers

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

It’s the time of the year when pumpkins decorate doorsteps and schools become the place to celebrate fall. One school festival outdoes them all every year when it comes to gourds, carnivals, food and fun. More than 1,500 students, family members, and friends would agree that last Friday the Pumpkin Bust at Graystone Elementary School was the place to be.

Where else can you see three witches with a principal? Graystone Elementary School, of course. Left: Pumpkin Bust event leaders Shahrzad Fardi, Donna De Avila, Principal Dave Beymer and coordinator Samera King. Photo by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

“The Pumpkin Bust is always fun,” said Graystone Elementary School Principal Dave Beymer. “The event coordinators really outdid themselves this year. They’ve thought of everything and they all work so well together. One husband even said he’ll be happy to attend because he hasn’t seen his wife in weeks. We couldn’t do this without the parents, sponsors and volunteers. And any money raised goes right back to next year’s event.”

The Pumpkin Bust is held every year before Halloween as a school and community spirit event rather than the usual fund-raiser. In other words, it’s a fun-raiser!

Samera King, Donna De Avila, Shahrzad Fardi were the three parents at the reins of this year’s Home and School Club Pumpkin Bust. Their creative minds and enthusiasm motivated local stores P.W. Market, Safeway, Summerwinds Nursery and Almaden Valley Nursery and a host of other sponsors to sponsor the event.

The Hair Scare booth was very popular with Graystone kids. Photo by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

Then the savvy trio organized over 200 volunteer parents, faculty, Bret Harte and Leland students to staff activities. Parents and teachers baked up a delightful selection of cakes, cookies and cupcakes for the fun filled event. And on top of that, a giant student food drive provides overflowing bins for Second Harvest Food Bank.

The kids enjoyed Spooktacular games like the coffin dig, freaky Frisbee, football frenzy, boo alley bingo, tarantula toss, cake walk, face painting, hair scare, raffles and even a book sale. And regardless of the children’s skill level in the games of chance, every player won a prize.

The kids lined up for the costume parade and felt like celebrities as flashbulbs lit up the sky while their parents created memories for their scrapbooks. All that activity stirred up a healthy appetite and the ghosts and princesses alike lined up for hot dogs, pizza, burgers, nachos, popcorn, tasty baked goods and Black Angus baked potatoes. And with parents Alex and Karen Martinez hosting the Spooktacular Karaoke, there was live entertainment for the future rock stars in the crowd.

“We are so grateful for the parents volunteering to make this a great event,” said event leader King. “It takes lots of effort.”

And since it is a Pumpkin Bust all the kids visited the Pumpkin Patch to pick out a perfect gourd to take home. It’s a good way to celebrate the season for Graystone kids and one they will never forget. In other words—the spooktacular was spectacular!