DiGrigoli School Donates Halloween Pumpkins to Shiners, Baystate Hospitals

SPRINGFIELD — On Friday, Oct. 25, select students and staff of DiGrigoli School of Cosmetology in West Springfield delivered creepy, cute, and festive Halloween pumpkins to the young patients of Shriners Hospitals for Children – Springfield and Baystate Children’s Hospital.

A yearly tradition at DiGrigoli School, the students spent weeks painting, gluing, and designing their pumpkins. Paul DiGrigoli, owner of DiGrigoli School and DiGrigoli Salon, purchases 60 pumpkins every year to increase creativity among the students and teach them the importance of giving back.

“It’s nice to switch things up from only doing hair to a fun project like the pumpkin competition,” DiGrigoli said. “On top of that, they get to see first-hand what an impact such a small gesture can make on the children.”

Once the pumpkins are designed and completed, they are judged by staff members, and prizes are awarded. A selection of the best are then hand-delivered to the child patients of the two Springfield hospitals.

Some of the most noteworthy designs this year were themed after movies such as The Nightmare Before Christmas, Star Wars, and Monsters, Inc. Other favorites focused on popular characters like Charlie Brown, Pikachu, Spongebob Squarepants, and an array of Disney princesses.