WCCC Celebrates Fall Season with Student Activities

Autumn has formally arrived in Down East Maine, bringing with it crisp winds, colorful leaves, and an abundance of produce. As a way to help its students celebrate the season as they settle into classes, Washington County Community College in Calais has lined up a series of events that put students in touch with the area and its traditions.

At the beginning of October, students were invited to go apple-picking at Treworgy’s apple orchard in Levant. Far from being a simple apple orchard, the Treworgy farm includes a pumpkin patch, corn maze, and hayrides for its visitors to fully experience a New England farm at harvest season. After picking a bagful of their own apples, students were able to run through the corn maze, earning a prize if they were able to complete each of the trivia stations throughout the maze.

This is the seventh year that the college has taken students to the farm, sometimes bringing as many as three filled vans of participants. “We always have fun at this event for students,” Director of Residential Life and Student Activities Karen Gookin said. Gookin said that some students had never visited a farm, and it was an especially valuable learning experience in those cases.

October is also pumpkin season, and the college is accordingly planning a visit on October 10th to Farmer James’s Pumpkin Patch in Charlotte. After picking pumpkins of personal appeal, students will have the opportunity to participate in a pumpkin carving contest the following Tuesday. The pumpkins will be displayed in the lounge at WCCC with prizes going to the first, second, and third place entries.

The approach of Halloween brings with it a highly captivating event: the second-annual Murder Mystery in the St. Croix Hall Dining Room. The narrated event involves the performance of six actors—each of whom may be the guilty culprit. Twenty five students will be able to decide who they think the murderer is while feasting on a multiple course meal provided by WCCC culinary students. The event is offered at no charge with advance sign up required.

In addition to the events provided at no costs to students, WCCC will feature several other community events in the month of October. On October 24th, Ken and Jane Brooks will perform an acoustic folk concert, while on October 25th, the Ghost Run half marathon will be held at the Moosehorn. Details related to this year’s ever-popular Trunk or Treat event—during which children are able to collect candy from tastefully decorated vehicle trunks arranged around the parking lot at WCCC—will be made available soon.