The “Pumpkin People” have turned the celebration of Manteca’s signature crop into priceless community good deeds that have been funded with $1.3 million plus since 1980.

The Manteca Sunrise Kiwanis on Thursday, Feb. 15, will add another $41,975 to the running total during their annual Community Night of Giving.

It takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Manteca Senior Center, 295 Cherry Lane.

Light refreshments will be served.

The funds come from the annual Pumpkin Fair in the first weekend of October in downtown Manteca that the service club took over in 1980.

The now-defunct Manteca Jaycees for years staged the event celebrating the fact the fields around Manteca account for nearly 80 percent of the pumpkins grown commercially in California.

Some of the other service projects the club participates in are Flags over Manteca, high school scholarships, Bike Trail Clean-up, Thanksgiving Dinner, Annual Spring Dinner, Manteca 4th of July Parade, and various events throughout the year.

 Sunrise Kiwanis just as other service groups in the greater Manteca area are committed to help and assist organizations in their mission to provide valuable services to those in need and individuals that will are working toward their educational and career goals.

This year’s recipients and those receiving funds during the year include: American Legion Post 249 Foundation, Delta Humane Society, East Union High Band Boosters, East Union JROTC, Friends of East Union Cemetery, Give Every Child A Chance, Manteca Police Explorers, Great Valley Bookfest, Hospice of San Joaquin, Manteca Historical Society, Hope Ministries/Raymus House, Sierra High Sober Grad, Valley Caps/Action Club, Wide Horizons, Agape Villages, Boys & Girls Club of Manteca, VFW Post 6311, Kiwanis Children’s Foundation, Kiwanis Family House, Kiwanis Rose Float, Manteca Youth Focus, CERT, SHARP-MPD, Boy Scout Troop 432, His Way Recovery and Pumpkin Fair designated recipients Camp Taylor, Thomas Toy Community Center and Healthy Rooms.

 Kiwanis International started in 1915 in Detroit Michigan and has grown to over 16,000 clubs in 80 nations with an average of over 18 million volunteer hours and over $100 million going toward projects in their local communities annually.

  Overall Kiwanis members participate in nearly 150,000 projects per year. 

For those wishing to attend the “Community Night of Giving”, RSVP to monicaannmendoza@gmail.com