Every fall, students and families in Mrs. Garrow’s Kindergarten class at Indian Creek Road Public School (ICRPS) gather for a beloved tradition that has been “rolling strong” for nearly 15 years—the annual Pumpkin Rolling Event.
What started as a fun activity has become a cherished celebration of community, leadership, and generosity. Each year, the Kindergarten class walks to a large hill near the school, joined by their "Big Buddies" from the junior class. The best part? Many of the Big Buddies participated in the event as Kindergarten students themselves, and now they get to return as leaders to guide their younger peers in the pumpkin rolling fun.
The event is made even more special by the presence of retired ICRPS teacher, Mr. Don Green. For years, Mr. Green has dressed in costume and driven a riding lawn mower pulling a trailer full of pumpkins, leading the "Pumpkin Parade" to the hill. The students follow behind, excited to roll their pumpkins down the hill. It’s a picture-perfect moment, and one that has become a signature part of the event.
Families are always invited to join the festivities, with parents, grandparents, and even younger siblings coming out to watch and participate. The event has grown over the years, becoming a true community celebration. In recent years, the class has added a canned food drive for Outreach for Hunger, helping provide pumpkins for the event through the generosity of local real estate company, Nest Realty.
But the spirit of giving doesn’t stop there. For the past two years, ICRPS has partnered with Charlotte's Freedom Farm, donating pumpkins from the rolling event to feed the farm’s animals. The founder of the farm has visited the class to share how the pumpkins help feed the pigs, goats, chickens, and cows. This year, the class collected more pumpkins than ever before, filling the farm’s truck twice with the harvest. The farm sends back videos of the animals enjoying the pumpkins, which brings the kids even more joy and a deeper sense of connection to the cause.
The Pumpkin Rolling Event is one of the many traditions that take place across LKDSB schools, highlighting the longstanding traditions and creating core memories thanks to dedicated staff and deep community connections.