Aspinwall man has a real gourd time giving back to Pittsburgh area charity

An Aspinwall man who started raising funds for a local charity using a giant pumpkin display years ago still has a gourd time giving back more than a decade later.

Joel Keefer, 72, is in his 11th season collecting for WTAE’s Project Bundle-Up.

The program is a partnership with the television station and the Salvation Army of Western Pennsylvania to provide new winter outerwear to needy children and low-income seniors.

Keefer initially began his Halloween tradition of carving pumpkins weighing more than 400 pounds 27 years ago in an effort to spread Halloween cheer outside his Fourth Street home.

It’s evolved into a public charitable outreach at the behest of Keefer’s wife of 50 years, Wyllie, to help others beyond the borough.

“My wife said, ‘Let’s pick something that’s local, that’s Pittsburgh-only, with a high return for what they do,’” Keefer said. “Project Bundle-Up was the perfect fit.

“The first year, we only raised $2,000. Every year after that it’s gone up.

“It’s just a warm fuzzy feeling that people would rally around helping a local charity buy gloves, boots, hats and coats for under privileged kids and adults.”

The family has donated $100,000 over the last decade with last year’s contribution being a little more than $13,600.

Donors can drop off checks and cash at the home along Fourth Street through the end of November.

People can also make their tax-deductible donate online at give.salvationarmy.org.

The display is sponsored by Keelen Brothers Tree Service. Keefer started the business 55 years ago. It is currently run by his brother, Mark Keefer, and his wife, Ann.

The company buys the pumpkin and sends a crew to haul it from Parks Nursery in Canfield, Ohio to Aspinwall. It also matches the first $500 of donations.

Past year’s themes have been a Cheshire cat design from “Alice in Wonderland,” designs from “Star Wars,” “Spider-Man,” “Frozen,” a monkey, and the artist Pablo Picasso.

The largest pumpkin creation was an 1,865-pound witch.

This year’s creation

This year’s creation is a 1,509-pound head of Frankenstein’s monster complete with neck bolts made out of PVC pipe.

Keefer said it took about eight hours, spread over several days, to design, carve and paint the pumpkin.

He was assisted by Steve Kochanowski of Fifth Street. The pair have become friends the past couple years.

“To see the smile on his face last night when he was sitting on that trailer after we had it all lit up and everything was done was priceless,”Kochanowski said.

They expect between 600 to 800 trick-or-treaters will visit the pumpkin on Halloween night.

The pumpkin’s innards were donated to a friend in O’Hara to feed deer.

Keefer said he plans to dispose of the pumpkin in those same township woods when the collection drive is over.