For the fourth year Mackenzie Page is bringing her Great Pumpkin Challenge back to Main Street.

The Great Pumpkin Challenge began in 2011 when Mackenzie, then a student at Newtown Middle School, was inspired to support family friend Zoe McMorran, who was diagnosed with brain cancer.

To help her friend that first year, Mackenzie challenged residents to carve a pumpkin, drop it off for display at her home at 14 Main Street before Halloween, and offer a suggested donation of $5.

This year all of the donations will go to The Hole In The Wall Gang Camp, Paul Newman’s nonprofit organization for seriously ill children. Donations to the challenge have also been given to the camp in the past.

One new challenge is also being added this year.

“We kind of have a different focus this year,” said Mackenzie, now a junior at Newtown High School. “We are going to be focusing on trying to get people to interact with each other.”

Mackenzie said she always wanted the challenge to be about community, so this year she is hoping to inspire people to carve pumpkins together, with friends or family. She also said she is hoping people will be inspired to reach out to those they wouldn’t normally interact with, like an elderly neighbor.

“I’ve met so many great people through this,” said Mackenzie, “and it’s changed me, meeting so many positive, inspiring people. Wouldn’t it be great if all those people met other inspiring people?”

With Halloween approaching, Mackenzie said she is excited, and has been out in the community spreading awareness about her challenge and its cause. She was at Paproski’s Castle Hill Farm on Sunday, October 5, raising awareness for her challenge, and will be there each Sunday in October until Halloween.

“We love it there,” Mackenzie said of the farm. 

Mackenzie also said she will be at the Great Pumpkin Race, a Newtown Lions Club even that will return to the rear lot of Edmond Town Hall on Saturday, October 18, between 10 am and 2 pm.

To raise further money, Great Pumpkin Challenge hats are being sold for $20, and bracelets are being sold for $1.

Pumpkin drop off dates and times are Sunday, October 26, from 10 am until 5 pm; and Monday, October 27, through Thursday, October 30, between 3 pm and 7 pm. The suggested donation is $5 per pumpkin.

The pumpkins will be put on display at 14 Main Street for Halloween, October 31.

For those who cannot make and/or drop off a carved pumpkin, but still want to participate, Mackenzie has also set up an online page for the Great Pumpkin Challenge, where donations allow givers to buy a “virtual pumpkin.”www.greatpumpkinchallenge.org,

This is also the first year Zoe McMorran, who the challenge was created for, is planning to attend with her twin sister, Avery, and family.

“In the past they have had complications with school,” Mackenzie said. “I’m really excited.”

Mackenzie also said she is looking forward to Great Pumpkin Challenge participants meeting Zoe.

“2014’s Halloween night on Main Street in Newtown will be even brighter with your help,” Mackenzie wrote at www.greatpumpkinchallenge.org.

According to the website, the Great Pumpkin Challenge has raised $11,796 in total.

The “Great Pumpkin Challenge of Newtown” is also a Facebook page, where Mackenzie has been posting updates.

As she asked residents this week in a Newtown Bee Letter to the Editor, “Can I count you in?”