Everyone is wondering, where did the mysterious pumpkin people on Ashland’s Main Street come from? The answer is Dr. Steve and Peggy Yoder.
Approximately a year ago, they went on vacation to Gatlinburg Tennessee. The Yoders saw these elaborate, animated pumpkin people downtown. They only captured one photo of these cute creatures due to the rain in the Smokey Mountains.
Without a moment to waste, Peggy Yoder called the city of Ashland as soon as she got back from her family’s vacation to see what she could do to bring these welcoming characters to the streets of Ashland, Ohio.
“Ashland has been good to us, and I believe in giving back”, Peggy Yoder deeply expressed.
In that call, she mentioned that both her and her husband were eager to donate these creatures, but wanted Mayor Matt Miller’s, and the city of Ashland’s approval. She said that Miller was immediately excited because Ashland does a lot for its people in the summer and has decoration in the winter, but nothing in the fall.
Miller asked how many pumpkins Peggy Yoder wanted. She originally said four to six, but Miller said the city would need at least ten to put down Mainstreet. Miller was determined to get the pumpkin people up overnight as a sudden new addition to the city.
The next thing Peggy Yoder did was call the company Brainchild Creative and see how much the pumpkin people would cost, how long they would take to make, and their durability. It was at this time that she said ten pumpkin people would work out as a great number.
She stated when you look at one you can see the next one a few feet away. One might wonder how much these creature’s cost. The single pumpkin people were around $2,200, and the ones with two people were around $3,200 each.
Peggy Yoder is so thrilled with how the pumpkin people have not only brought smiles to the faces of kids, but adults as well, “I just fell in love with these pumpkin people, and I believe in giving back.”
In an interview with WMFD, Peggy Yoder stated, “My goal was to do something for the community… and wanted to give back to the community and do something for the kids.”
“I wish I would’ve thought of it!”, stated Ralph Tomassi, a resident of Ashland for 46 years. He said it’s, “One of the most meaningful and engaging projects,” he has seen in Ashland.
The Yoders truly embody the spirit of Ashland.
