The Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Liberty Center hosted a pumpkin-carving contest to celebrate Halloween, Oct. 31.

The event was held to give Sailors an opportunity to participate in an American past time and bring a little piece of home for those who used to do it as a family tradition.

“Liberty Center hosted this event because it’s fun and it’s good for the Sailors who are away from home,” said Coty Burgess, Liberty program assistant. “It’s kind of like home-life nostalgia for them.”

“Everybody’s a child at heart and this is one of the things you remember from Halloween that lets you act like a child again,” said Sherry Yates, Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Liberty program manager. “We’re a little big to trick or treat, but we can still carve pumpkins.”

The pumpkins were donated from the NAS Whidbey Island Commissary along with carving tools, gloves, and aprons to keep participants clean although some contestants preferred the messiness as part of the experience.

“Unlike some of these people, I don’t use gloves,” said Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class (AW) Alicia Perenkovich, Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron (VAQ) 132. “For me it was a family event to get the pumpkins and carve them, it brings back memories of my siblings.”

This was the first time Nigerian native, Storekeeper Seaman Ogbonna Egwu, Patrol Squadron (VP) 46 had seen pumpkin-carving.

“I didn’t know what they were doing and I was asking why and I realized it has to be a tradition,” said Egwu. “I don’t really think it’s that strange now, but it’s kind of funny.”

A total of 15 people competed in the event. The jack-o-lanterns were put on display and voted on by Sailors at the Liberty Center, where top honors went to Aviation Electrician’s Mate Airman Cameron Olson, VAQ-138.