Thirteen Injured at Blind Pumpkin Carving Event

A beautiful autumn day at Olafson Orchard in Hutchinson, MN quickly turned sour as several participants of a pumpkin carving contest found themselves with bloodied hands.

The event allowed blind people from the area to pick their own pumpkin and carve it with guidance from a volunteer. The jack-o-lanterns were supposed to be auctioned off with all proceeds going toward the school for the blind, but due to the amount of blood spilled, the event was cancelled early.

“I feel partially responsible,” event planner Jackie Gleeman said. “Everything was going great until we handed out the knives, then things took a turn.”

Gleeman and other volunteers watched as the participants blindly stabbed at their pumpkins, inevitably cutting their hands in the process.

“It’s like they weren’t even looking at what they were doing,” an onlooker said. “I was trying to line little Suzie up to make your standard smiling jack-o-lantern with triangle eyes, but her first cut was right into my thumb and I gave up after that.”

Fortunately, a box of SpongeBob Squarepants Band-Aids was available and many received medical attention immediately. However, the box quickly ran out, leaving the injured to fend for themselves.

“After the Band-Aids ran out I just didn’t know what to do,” Gleeman said. “Most of the pumpkins looked terrible and had blood on them, but we told the kids that they looked great.”

Of the 13 injuries, none were more serious than a small cut on the hand, but there were several on the edge of needing stitches.

Following the incident, orchard owner Pete Olafson said he was going to rethink the activities planned in upcoming months.

“Well, next weekend we had a blind pheasant hunt set up, and in the winter we were gunna try some chainsaw ice sculpting,” Olafson said. “I’m starting to think those aren’t such great ideas anymore. Maybe we will just do a hay-ride and s’mores.”