A new project in honor of a young Brighton resident will give children with food allergies a safe option while out trick-or-treating.

Calvin Cruthirds was diagnosed at age 2 with a peanut allergy, and later with tree-nut allergies, causing anxiety in his everyday life. He was born on Halloween, which became his favorite holiday, until he passed away last December at age 13. This year, his mother Jennifer, in honor of her son, has started the Calvin Cruthirds Teal Pumpkin Project for kids with food allergies. Non-food items and teal-painted pumpkins are now being collected to be prepared to hand out to residents wishing to offer kids a non-candy option on Halloween. Jennifer Cruthird says these pumpkins can make a world of difference for a child. She says that when they come to a house with a teal pumpkin, they will know that there is a safe item for them to take home. Cruthird recognized that there can be anxiety, and that sometimes even just touching food that a child is allergic to can cause a severe reaction. These teal pumpkins help make the kids feel safer.

Pumpkins and small toys are being accepted through October 25th. Ideas for the toys include items like vampire fangs, spider rings, glow sticks, bubbles, stickers, finger puppets, and kazoos. After the 25th, Cruthirds and volunteers will stuff the pumpkins and set up distribution points around the area for pick up. Cruthirds said this is something she hopes to make happen every year. She added that she has other ideas for things she can do for the community in Calvin’s honor, too, expressing a desire to help kids that struggle with the challenges of being different.

Cruthirds said that this project is being done with the full permission of the Food Allergy Research & Education, or FARE, Teal Pumpkin Project.

A list of donation sites can be found through the link below. However, Brighton Community Ed will be teaming up with the Calvin Cruthirds Teal Pumpkin Project for the 2019 Tridge-or-Treat on Halloween from 5:30-7:00pm and will have a teal pumpkin with allergy friendly, non-food items at each of our trick-or-treat stations along the Tridge at the Brighton Millpond.

To hear more from Jennifer and the Calvin Cruthirds Teal Pumpkin Project, tune in to WHMI’s Viewpoint, this Sunday morning at 8:30. (Photo- calvinspumpkins.weebly.com) (MK)