Our Story
Mary Agnes and Paul Zellmer’s son Jim was just six years old in the fall of 2004 when he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. When Paul came home from the pharmacy with a bag full of insulin and supplies, Jim panicked and said, “How long will I have to take shots?” His dad told him, “For the rest of your life.” The small boy’s eyes filled with tears and he said, “Mommy, fix this.” The next fall, Pumpkins for a Cure was born.
What started as a small family operation selling pumpkins from Jim’s grandparents’ farm out of the Zellmer front yard, has grown to an annual weekend attraction drawing a crowd of 2,000 people from all over Chicagoland.
In its first year, Pumpkins for a Cure (PFAC) raised $6,000. Today, thanks to our volunteers, sponsors, and passionate supporters, we sell 12 tons of pumpkins each year and raise more than $100,000 per year. Now in it’s seventh year, PFAC benefits the Zellmer Childhood Disease Foundation (ZCDF).
2013 Pumpkins for a Cure Festival
September 28th & 29th
This year’s featured family entertainment
The Chicago Boyz Acrobatic Team
The Chicago Boyz Acrobatic Team is a professional gymnastics troupe consisting of talented young men and boys from the Chicagoland area. Their performance includes amazing acrobatic stunts and tricks inside twirling jump ropes, catapulting off mini trampolines and thundering tumbling routines with impeccable timing. Read more …
Macaroni Soup! with Miss Carole
Miss Carole grew up in a house with a pre-school attached! After graduating from Northwestern University (BS – musical theater), she acted: Chicago, New York, even “All My Children!”) Then to sea as a cruise director, then host of a nightly TV show before settling down to “mommy.” Carole created music classes to meet the needs of her 2 children, who are now twentysomethings. As MACARONI SOUP, she has been providing musical entertainment and education for children 1 – 10 years old internationally since 1989. Carole’s participatory style, energetic presentation and developmentally appropriate music have made her 6 cd’s a favorite with early childhood teachers and parents, winning the Parents’ Choice, NAPPA, I-Parenting Media, Creative Child and Children’s Music Web Awards. Carole considers it a privilege to work with young children and those that care for them! Read more …
Chef Jen Lamplough
Chef Jennifer Bucko Lamplough is a Chef Instructor for the Robert Morris University Institute of Culinary Arts in Chicago, Aurora and Orland Park, Illinois and is co-author with Lara Rondinelli-Hamilton, RD, LDN, CDE of three American Diabetes Association Cookbooks: the award-winning, best-selling, Healthy Calendar Diabetic Cooking, 1st and 2nd Editions and the Healthy Carb Diabetes Cookbook.
Chef Jen was featured on Food Network’s program, “Fat Chef” which chronicled the weight loss journeys of 12 chefs across the country. By participating in the program, she lost over 50 pounds and is still working toward an overall goal of 100 pounds lost. Her participation in the show has led her to launch FitFoodieChef, where she offers healthy cooking demonstrations and classes, online tips, recipes and advice on healthy eating and living. Read more …
Chef Jen has appeared as a guest chef on several television programs including WLS Channel 7 news, WGN Channel 9 news, NBC 5 Chicago news, and Total Living with Jerry Rose on the Total Living Network. She has also been a featured chef on several radio programs across the country, most notably the Living Today program on Martha Stewart Living Radio.
View our 2012 Events Booklet Advertising opportunities available for 2014! Email us today.
