‘Operation Pumpkin’ returns for a 25th year

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) - The Lee and Beulah Moor Children's Home brought back it's 'Operation Pumpkin' fundraiser for the 25th year on Saturday.

The children's home is hosting the event at the Coronado Country club and sold out tickets for the second year in a row according to CEO Renee Tanner.

One by one the doctors who agreed to participate filled their seats and broke the seal of the carving tools to get started even using their own accessories with each pumpkin showing the creativity translated from the doctor's heads to the skin of the pumpkin.

This was not the only way the Children's house raised money, with silent auctions also used to give away tables full of items and even various gift baskets.

The doctors who agreed to carve their pumpkins made the most of the time they were given before one by one each was sold to the highest bidder with all the proceeds going toward continuing the Children's Home.

Tanner said the organization relies on the money from fundraisers like this because it doesn't receive federal or state funding.

For the people that participated in the carving like Pediatric and Fetal Cardiologist Dr. Fernando Molina Berganza, it was a good way to mix a fun afternoon with a good cause.

"I think that's what community means," Berganza said. "It's getting together with these events and having fun and at the same time doing something for the people in our community that are most in need and doing it in a fun way."

Berganza said this was the first time he had done something like Operation Pumpkin, and had such a good time he plans on returning next year already making plans on what he'll make.

As the time expired and the finishing touches were added the auction phase helped the Children's Home with every raise of a paddle from a member of the sold out crowd willing to make an offer.

One pumpkin went for $700, another for $350, and each time the word 'sold' came from the auctioneer's mouth the room filled with applause.

The fact that the fundraiser has had enough support to continue for 25 years shows Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Tom Alost, another carving participant, this is something he's proud to have been a part of for 10 years.

"I think the most important thing is that somebody had an inspiration back in the day, Lee and Beulah, to come up with a place to take care of children that needed help," Alost said. "That gradually has built up to a situation where now we have El Pasoans across the city, not just what we do, but everybody that's over here right now does this to support children that need love, need support. They need to have a place to sleep, a place to live, a place to grow. It's a beautiful thing."