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Residents of the Clark Fork Valley Long Term Care started the holiday season by making Jack O Lanterns.

Although only a handful of residents took part in the event, the day room showed the signs of Halloween with pumpkins and their insides piled on the tables.

“He’s going to be a handsome fella,” said Mary Ann Thompson, who celebrated her 91st birthday last week. Thompson was making an owl cutout on her pumpkin, although she had help from Cindy Leandro, the assistant activities director.

Most of the residents utilized pre-drawn sketches that they pinned to the pumpkin in order to draw an outline around the sketch, said Del Smith, the nursing home’s activities director, who demonstrated a carving with a witch Jack O Lantern. “They have fun. Some of them I’m sure did this with their kids,” said Smith, who started the pumpkin carving festivity last year. He doesn’t know if they did pumpkin carvings prior to when he got there 15 years ago.

Millie Butler decided to make her own design, which she freehand drew on the pumpkin prior to carving. She scooped all the insides out and did most of the carving on her own.

It took the residents about an hour to work on their Jack O Lanterns. Smith collected the pumpkin seeds, which he said the staff cooks will bake and give back to the residents.