Although Dave Morgan had the day off, he spent it lounging around the lobby of the River Valley Health Center.

Wednesday, November 01, 2000

Although Dave Morgan had the day off, he spent it lounging around the lobby of the River Valley Health Center.

At least, his double did.

A pumpkin with sculpted features added to make it look like Morgan was one of several decorated pumpkins in the River Valley Health Center’s annual Halloween pumpkin carving and decorating contest.

The likeness was noticed by the staff at River Valley. Even Morgan, who works in the housekeeping department, came in on his day off to see his double and have photos taken with it.

"They even took my bench from the break room to sit him on," Morgan said.

This year the decorated pumpkins were more popular than the carved pumpkins. Only two carved pumpkins were entered in the contest.

River Valley gave separate first-place awards to the best decorated and best carved pumpkin, and an overall second- and third-place award.

This year the pumpkin dressed as Morgan, sculpted by Nathan Fitch, received first place for the decorated pumpkins.

First place for the carved pumpkins went to a pumpkin with the River Valley Health Center logo carved into it. The carving was done so that the hard outer shell of the pumpkin was carved away, but the interior meat was left intact.

"Whoever did this pumpkin is the person I’d like to see doing my stitches," said Tomy Linter, an Ironton High School teacher who helped handle judging duties.

Overall second place was a pumpkin decorated to look like an Asian lady beetle. The pumpkin was displayed with a vacuum cleaner and an audio recording, which played "we’re sucking up bugs." The pumpkin was designed by Linda Qualls, who was recently featured on the front of The Ironton Tribune for vacuuming the beetles off her ceiling with the vacuum in her pumpkin display.

Third place overall was a pumpkin that had been carved by Qualls as well. The pumpkin had Winnie The Pooh and Piglet on it.

Judging the competition were Mrs. Linter and fellow Ironton High School faculty member Kathy Price. The judging criteria was based on the effort that was put into the pumpkin, and the beauty and creativity of the display, as well as the overall theme.