Salmon Creek family uses pumpkins to boat in Lake Merwin

SALMON CREEK — A few families championed their competitive spirit during a Halloween pumpkin-growing competition. The contest started three years ago. The friends and family members weighed in around Halloween, with the largest pumpkin tipping the scale at 955 pounds. Winners were Jeff Pearson and Jeff Carlsen. In years past, the loser had to jump into Lake Merwin; this year they carved the pumpkins into boats. “We brought a number of them up to Merwin Lake this weekend, hollowed them out and they were able to race them like boats in the lake. Pretty crazy,” said Haley Pearson, wife of Jeff Pearson. “They also sold two of the pumpkins to a family who was looking to carry on a family tradition of carving giant pumpkins and had not been able to find any in the area.” She said the largest pumpkin was displayed at Hillcrest Church in Salmon Creek on Halloween for a drive-thru event.