Punkin’ chunkin’ is the main fundraiser for the Murphy Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Foundation. The booth will at the annual Maize Days festival Saturday, Oct. 4.

For over a decade, the Punkin’ Chunkin’ booth operated by the Murphy Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Foundation has been one of the key attractions at the annual Maize Days festival held in Central Park. This year’s event is Saturday, Oct. 4.

Not only a test of skill, punkin’ chunkin’ is also the main fundraiser for the foundation, which has awarded more than $160,000 in scholarships to Murphy students since the program began 20 years ago, said Luke Trahan, chair of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Trahan said the city partners with the foundation by providing the pumpkins and setting up the slingshot, as well as placing floats in the lake as targets. The booth is staffed by student volunteers.

“We have been very fortunate in the past several years to get volunteers from JROTC from both Wylie East and Wylie High Schools,” he said.  Anyone interested in volunteering can reach out to the Murphy Chamber of Commerce at [email protected]. 

Trahan said the Parks & Recreation Department will usually go out the day before the festival to dig the holes and place the poles for the slingshot. “The slingshot is one normally used for water balloon launching, but works great for the sugar pumpkins we use,” he said. “The distance between the poles is key: too close together and the bands get tangled and you get chaos; too far apart and the pumpkins don’t fly.”

Successful chunkers have learned success stems from using a medium sized pumpkin, drawing back until there is enough tension to launch without going so far that the bands break, Trahan said.

“That has happened in the past, and when that happens, the person doing the pulling always ends up on their rear,” he said.

A lot of people want distance, he said, but the awards are given for hitting the floats that local businesses sponsor.

This year’s title sponsor is Torchy’s Tacos of Murphy and he said they will have a booth and volunteers at Punkin’ Chunkin’ and giveaways for Punkin’ Chunkin’, Punkin’ Smashin’ and Punkin’ Photos.

Trahan said volunteers arrive early on Saturday morning to set up the prize tent, entry tent, place the pumpkins for both Chunkin’ and Smashin’ — added last year. New this year is a photo booth area with photographer available to provide electronic photos for a small donation to those interested in great photos while helping a great cause.

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