The WKU Student Government Association hosted a pumpkin carving competition on South Lawn Thursday to raise money for those impacted by sexual harm.

Participants paid a $10 entry fee, and proceeds were donated to Hope Harbor, a non-profit crisis counseling center that provides services and support to anyone impacted by sexual harm, including victims and those close to them.

“It’s a really important cause and carving pumpkins is a fun way for students to get involved,” said Amelia Tucker, junior agricultural education major and SGA senator.

Jade Ismail, SGA senator and chair of SGA’s Action and Opportunity Committee, said she started reaching out to Hope Harbor and planning the competition this summer and that she hopes it becomes an annual event. She said that this year is SGA’s first year partnering with Hope Harbor.

“We want to make sure SGA is not just for the WKU community, but the Bowling Green community as a whole,” Ismail said.

Ismail also said it’s important to her “for everyone to feel heard, accepted, understood and feel like they belong,” and that this partnership with Hope Harbor was inspired by the organization’s work to support community members.

Ismail said that SGA will donate all proceeds from their events this fall to Hope Harbor, and that they started a GoFundMe to accept additional donations in support of the organization. 

She said Hope Harbor did “amazing things,” and that the cause was personal to her and those she knew, so she felt it was important to give back in a meaningful way.

There were 13 final entries in the competition, which were judged by History Professor Patti Minter and Sociology & Criminology Professor Holli Drummond.

The event was organized by the SGA Action & Opportunity Committee in partnership with the Alpha Omega Pi sorority and the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, commonly known as FIJI.

Mia Carver and Lillian Fry, both junior musical theatre majors, came in first place with their pumpkin, inspired by the movie “Coraline.”

2nd place: Dane Slayden 

3rd place: Thurston Swift

Honorable mentions: Baylor Penrod, Sydney Rettig