- Why we paint our pumpkins purple !
- While on a drive one Sunday morning with his family,founder Ron Lamontagne was brainstorming ideas on how to spread epilepsy awareness. The local pumpkin patch provided the solution. Since kids would soon be carving and decorating pumpkins, he thought why not make one purple.
Lamontagne created a Facebook page called the Purple Pumpkin Project in 2012. Within two days, the page had likes in all 50 states; it reached more than 500 likes in the first three days. Ten days later, the page surpassed 1,000 likes, and photos of many people's purple pumpkins started pouring in.
The motivation: Ron's youngest son was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2009, and he wanted to find a way to spread awareness about the condition.- The idea: While driving past a pumpkin patch, he thought of using purple-painted pumpkins as a simple, visual way to spark conversations about epilepsy.
- The project's growth: The idea took off, and the Purple Pumpkin Project became a national awareness effort, with many epilepsy organizations and families participating.
Why purple pumpkins are used
- A conversation starter: The purple color serves as a visual cue. When people see a purple pumpkin, it gives them an opportunity to ask why it's purple, allowing the owner to share information about epilepsy.
- Raising awareness: The project aims to educate the public about epilepsy, its impacts, and the importance of supporting individuals and families affected by it.
- blog entry Sept 2025
- Lorrie/Admin