Pumpkins, Community, and Giving Back

GLENNALLEN, ALASKA — On Saturday, October 10, 2026, the Copper Valley Electric Association (CVEA) brought a little extra fall magic to the Copper River Basin with its annual Pumpkin Patch celebration. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., families, friends, local businesses, and nonprofit organizations gathered for an afternoon filled with pumpkins, delicious food, laughter, and, most importantly, community spirit.

Despite the wild Alaska wind sending tent covers flying and autumn leaves dancing across the parking lot, the event was nothing short of a success. The smell of delicious food from Cast Iron Café and Roadside Grill filled the crisp fall air, while children ran, played, laughed, and eagerly searched for the perfect pumpkin to take home. For a sweet treat Sarah Dolge was there selling her delicious cupcakes. 

With 275 pumpkins available and not a single one left behind, it was clear that the community showed up ready to celebrate!

But behind the pumpkins, food, and festivities was something even more meaningful: an

opportunity to give back to the people and organizations that make the Copper River Basin such a special place to call home. 

What makes CVEA’s annual Pumpkin Patch so special is that it’s about strengthening relationships, supporting local businesses, and raising money for nonprofit organizations that work year-round to serve our communities.

This year, CVEA sponsored seven vendors to participate in the celebration, helping create opportunities to raise funds and awareness for local organizations: Connecting Ties, Copper River EMS, the Copper River Hockey Club, Copper Valley Community Library, Kenny Lake Public Library, Copper River Imagination Library,  and the Glennalle-Kenny Lake Nordic Ski Team.

According to CVEA Chief Communication Officer Morgan Melton, $2,553 was raised, which will be split evenly among the seven nonprofit organizations; each organization will receive $364.71. 

The event also collected food donations for the Copper River Basin Resource Council Food Bank, helping support families and individuals experiencing food insecurity throughout the region.

Community members could donate $5 or a nonperishable food item to enter a drawing for a $150 energy credit. The same donation amount allowed participants to choose their very own pumpkin. According to Melton, $678 was raised for the Copper River Basin Resource Council. Alyeska Pipeline Service Company matched the entirety of these donations.

One of the highlights of this year's event was a new activity offered by the Copper River Hockey Club: basket rides in a bucket truck!

Children had the opportunity to experience a bird's-eye view of the festivities, rising high above the ground while friends and family watched from below. Looking up, the bucket seemed incredibly high, but the excitement on the children's faces made it clear that this was an experience they wouldn't soon forget.

I also had the opportunity to speak with Jamie Matthews, CEO of Copper Valley Electric Association, about the inspiration behind the annual event.

Matthews shared that, as a lifelong Alaskan, she understands that many children growing up in Alaska don't have the opportunity to experience a traditional pumpkin patch. CVEA wanted to bring that experience closer to home while finding another meaningful way to give back to the community.

Events like this remind us that we don't always have to travel far or spend a lot of money to create meaningful experiences for our children.

While the Pumpkin Patch may last only four hours, the work that goes into making it happen begins months in advance.

I spoke Melton, who shared some insight into the planning and preparation required to host the event each year.

Planning typically begins in June or July, when CVEA starts reaching out to local nonprofit organizations and businesses to coordinate participation, identify fundraising needs, and bring together vendors who can contribute to the celebration.

CVEA takes care of purchasing pumpkins, gathering supplies, organizing materials for each booth, and helping with setup so that participating nonprofits can focus on interacting with community members and raising awareness for their organizations.

That sounds like a pretty great deal to me!

CVEA also hosts a similar Pumpkin Patch celebration in Valdez, supporting local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and community members there.

Even with the wind blowing fiercely and the weather refusing to cooperate, people continued showing up, laughing, volunteering, and enjoying the day.

As this year's Pumpkin Patch comes to an end, I hope everyone takes a moment to recognize the nonprofit organizations, local businesses, volunteers, and community partners who helped make the event possible.

Organizations like Copper River EMS, Connecting Ties, our local libraries, and youth sports programs provide opportunities and services that make a real difference in people's lives.

But these organizations cannot do it alone.

They rely on volunteers, donations, community participation, and continued support to keep their programs running.

I encourage everyone to reach out to a local nonprofit organization and ask how they can help. Whether it's volunteering a few hours, donating supplies, contributing financially, or simply spreading the word about an upcoming event, every act of support matters.

We all benefit from having strong community organizations, and we all have a role to play in making sure those services continue for future generations.

Disclosure: CVEA is a Copper River Record advertiser.