Lounging in the grass between stations, Madi Britt, 8, waited to move to the pumpkin decoration station at the seventh annual pumpkin patch at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Monday.

“I like it because I like pumpkins,” Madi said. “You can make them into pumpkin pie and you can have fun with them, put faces on them and paint them.”

Students in kindergarten through third grade from several area schools will travel to the patch this month to decorate pumpkins, color pumpkin pictures and paint their faces.

John T. Morgan Academy third grade students visited the pumpkin patch Monday.

“It’s a fun event for the adults and the children,” said Howard Tinsley, co-coordinator.

This year, the patch opened with 600 pumpkins of all sizes and shapes, which will be sold until Oct. 31. All pumpkins are from the Navajo reservation in Farmington, N.M.

Proceeds will be divided between the Navajo reservation and the Episcopal Young Christians group at St. Paul’s. The local group will use the funds for mission trips and local service projects.

“To keep the pumpkin patch going is a great thing,” said Nancy Johnson, co-coordinator. “This is probably the most exciting thing these children will probably see, as far as I am concerned.”

Many students come back to the pumpkin patch with parents to purchase a larger pumpkin.

“I’m going to get another one or try to get my mom to get me another one,” said Caroline Thomas, 8.

She will search for a “regular pumpkin,” a medium-sized pumpkin with no scratches or bumps.

“I like a big pumpkin,” said Judy Assaad, 8. “I like pumpkins because I can carve a face and put a candle in it.”

Other schools to visit the pumpkin patch are Byrd Elementary School, Clark Elementary School and Little Friends School.