ANNIVERSARY EVENT ATTRACTS VISITORS

ANNA, Ill. -- A 125th anniversary celebration project at Clyde L. Choate Mental Health and Development Center five years ago has developed into an annual extravaganza that attracts thousands of people to the center.

A year ago the annual project, "Pumpkin Town USA," attracted more than 34,000 vehicles, including vans and school buses.

"We don't know how many people viewed Pumpkin Town," said Cathy Haley of the center's rehabilitation services, "but we did have vehicle counters."

Pumpkin Town USA is just that, a community of pumpkin people set up each year at the Choate Center.

It has become a big feature of the annual Union County Colorfest that showcases area communities. Colorfest ends today.

The Choate Center's staff and people served at the center, use pumpkins, straw, creativity and ingenuity to create scenes to fit a particular theme.

"This year's theme is `From Sea to Shining Sea,'" said Cheryl Gee, who works in rehabilitation services.

Gee and Haley were coordinators for this year's Colorfest events.

Haley and Gee explain how the Choate Center's normally quiet and serene campus is turned into a center stage in October.

Some 350 pumpkins and 400 bales of hay are provided for the project.

The pumpkins are painted, molded or carved to resemble faces, animals and other characters portrayed in each scene. Straw is used to stuff and form figures, build structures and create backdrops.

Pumpkin Town is more than just a festive celebration, said Dr. Paul Kaufmann, chief of operations for the center's mental health services.

"It offers an opportunity to shed some positive light on state-operated mental centers, which have historically been viewed by the general public as isolated places, which are off limits to the public," Kaufman said. "Our doors are open to those who wish to see the quality of service provided."

Pumpkin Town also offers an opportunity for Choate Center clients to exhibit their creative ideas. "It's a great therapeutic activity," said Kaufmann.

The 22 display scenes this year had been researched for historical accuracy.

"Twenty-two different groups worked together to put together life-sized displays, ranging from the state of Alaska and Hawaii, to Missouri and Illinois," she added.

A half-block-long display of the nation's capital features pumpkin people visiting the Vietnam Wall, and pumpkin soldiers raising the U.S. flag at Iwo Jima was judged best of the displays. The capital scene also included Arlington National Cemetery, the Washington Monument and the Capitol.

Two of the scenes attracting large crowds and comments Saturday were those of Missouri and Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

The Missouri scene featured the St. Louis arch and home-run hitter Mark McGwire. Shown in the Show-Me State display was a giant of a pumpkin man (McGwire), a sign depicting his 62nd home run, and a number of smaller signs denoting the longer home runs McGwire cracked in a 70 home-run season.

And there is little doubt surrounding the presidential faces on Mount Rushmore. The pumpkin faces are easily identifiable as George Washing, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt.

Another scene of interest was that of Roswell, N.M., depicting flying saucers and aliens reported there in 1947.

Other scenes around the campus include Mickey and Minnie Mouse in Florida, alligators and frogs in Louisiana, hula girls and surfers in Hawaii, and spuds in Idaho.

The Choate Center, established in 1869, sits along North Main Street and provides mental health and rehabilitative services to about 300 people from the state's southernmost 27 counties.

The pumkin scenes will be on display until 3 p.m. today.

In addition, the Mighty Duck Race and Illinois championship duck and goose calling contests are among the Colorfest events on today's agenda.

This marks the second year for the duck races, which will be held at Wolf Lake today, with qualifying races starting at noon. Finals will get under way at 2:30.

"These will be real live duck races," said one of the race officials. "Duck trainers have spent days preparing ducks for the races, the lanes have been constructed, and everything is ready."

Ducks can be rented, or people can bring their own ducks. Adult and children's classes are available.

The calling contest will be held at Trail of Tears State Forest, north of Jonesboro off Illinois 127. Wild turkey, owl, crow and coon calling contests start at 11 a.m.. The goose and duck calling contests start at 10 a.m. with junior competition and at 1 o'clock for adults.

Colorfest also has arts and crafts shows, musical entertainment, food and other events today at Alto Pass, Anna, Cobden, Dongola, Jonesboro, Wolf Lake, Lick Creek and at Bald Knob Mountain Cross. Information on events may be obtained at visitor booths in each community.