Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The First Methodist Church of Andalusia is gearing up for its annual Pumpkin Patch set to return this fall for the fourth consecutive year in a partnership with Pumpkin Patch USA.

This year’s patch will be open to the public beginning Sunday, Sept. 29, and running through Halloween on Thursday, Oct. 31. Hours of operation will be from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily.

“We choose Pumpkin Patch USA because it is a mission within a mission,” FMC Youth Leader Heather Sabey said. “We are blessed here at FMCA to be a part of such a mission while being able to help area youth with the funds raised. We use the funds to offset costs for families to send students to spiritual retreats and outings and provide needed hygiene products for area schools. We help provide meals for sports teams and band members in addition to providing a fun local venue for families to purchase their pumpkins.”

Pumpkins will be delivered on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 9 a.m. Help is needed with unloading before the patch opens the following day. A family fun day with free face painting, a bounce house for children, and Sno Biz is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 12. There will be a blessing of the pets in the patch (no snakes please) on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 2 p.m.

The Pumpkin Patch fundraiser began over 40 years ago with a farmer who had some pumpkins.

“He met a minister with a need for funds. The farmer agreed to let the church sell his pumpkins, and they would share the proceeds. There was no contract or legal proceedings, just a handshake and trust in each other. The minister retired, the congregation has changed, but that church is still selling pumpkins every October to fund their goals. Since 1989, the pumpkins have been grown on the Navajo Indian Reservation in New Mexico. Not only does this region provide excellent growing conditions for the 25 varieties of pumpkins grown, it also provided a sustainable employment opportunity for the Navajo people where the median family income is $20,000 annually,” Sabey added.

For more information visit www.fmcandalusia.org or call the First Methodist Church of Andalusia at 334-222-5018.