Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities (Stark DD)

10/30/2026

Stark County Board of DD School Programs at Southgate

10/30/2026

🎃 GREAT PUMPKIN RACE PACKET & SHIRT PICKUP REMINDER!

Race weekend is almost here! Get a head start on Saturday morning by picking up your race packet and shirt on Friday evening!

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30
4:00–6:00 PM ONLY

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31
Beginning at 7:00 AM

📍 Race Headquarters
Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities
2950 Whipple Ave. NW, Canton
Enter Door C2

⚠️ IMPORTANT FRIDAY REMINDER: Packet pickup will NOT begin before 4:00 PM. Stark DD is open for regular business during the day, and our race volunteers need time to finish setting up. Please do not arrive early expecting to pick up your packet or shirt. We appreciate your patience and cooperation!

A few things to know:

Have your bib number ready! If picking up for a friend or family member, please know their bib number, too.

Race shirts are SOLD OUT. You must take the size selected during registration. A shirt exchange opportunity will be offered after race day, based on availability.

We'll also have vintage Great Pumpkin Race gear available for purchase!

We encourage you to take advantage of Friday evening pickup to make your race morning a little easier.

See you this weekend! 🎃

10/29/2026

👟 ONE SHOE, TWO SHOES… LET'S MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

We're teaming up with Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio, Inc. Mission Makers for their 1 Shoe or 2 Shoe Donation Drive during this weekend's Great Pumpkin Race !

Have shoes you no longer wear? Bring them along when you pick up your race packet, come to the race, or simply stop by Stark DD to make a donation!

Here's the best part:

ANY type of shoe is welcome—not just running shoes!

Donate a complete pair OR a single shoe!

Donated shoes help support Goodwill's community programs while keeping footwear out of landfills.

DROP-OFF DETAILS:

📅 Friday, October 30 & Saturday, October 31 ONLY

📍 Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities
2950 Whipple Ave. NW, Canton

Collection bin located OUTSIDE Door C2, the entrance to Great Pumpkin Race Headquarters.

Whether you're a runner, walker, volunteer, Stark DD employee or community member, everyone is welcome to participate!

Clean out those closets, grab those extra shoes and help us support our friends at Goodwill while celebrating race weekend!

Every shoe can make a difference! 👟

10/28/2026

Congratulations to our next DSP All-Star, Kellie Kirksey of Buckeye Person Services! 🌟

Kellie was nominated by David Chapman and Tawnya Ware of Buckeye Person Services, who praised her compassion, positive attitude, and dedication to the people she supports.

Kellie goes above and beyond to ensure individuals feel heard, respected, and valued. Whether helping with everyday activities, encouraging personal growth, or celebrating someone's accomplishments, she brings kindness and encouragement to everything she does.

A dependable teammate and positive role model, Kellie is always willing to adjust her schedule to help others. Her calm, reassuring presence and commitment to putting people first make a difference for both those she supports and her coworkers.

👏 Thank you, Kellie, for making a difference in the lives of others. You are a true DSP All-Star!

10/27/2026

10/26/2026

10/26/2026

🎃 Welcome to the Pumpkin Patch, Metzger Heating and Cooling! 🧡

We're excited to welcome Metzger Heating and Cooling as a first-time Bronze Level Sponsor of the 28th Annual Great Pumpkin Race!

Community support makes this event possible, and we're especially grateful to the Metzger family for their generous support of our mission and the athletes we serve.

Thank you, Metzger Heating and Cooling, for joining our Great Pumpkin Race family and helping make race day possible!

10/26/2026

🎃 A Golden Thank You to The Golden Key! 🧡

We're excited to welcome back the Golden Key Center for Exceptional Children, Inc as a Silver Level Sponsor of the 28th Annual Great Pumpkin Race!

This is Golden Key's second year supporting our race, and we love that their commitment goes beyond sponsorship. Last year, they put their complimentary race registrations to good use, with one of their participants even earning a top finish! 🏅

As an organization dedicated to supporting children with disabilities, Golden Key shares our commitment to creating opportunities for people of all abilities.

Thank you, Golden Key, for your continued generosity and for being part of our Great Pumpkin Race family!

10/26/2026

🎃 Little Runners, BIG Support! 🏃‍♀️🏃

A big thank you to GumCare & Implant Specialists, our returning Lil' Pumpkin Dash Sponsor for the 28th Annual Great Pumpkin Race!

For more than five years, GumCare & Implant Specialists has helped make one of our favorite race day traditions possible — the Lil' Pumpkin Dash!

There's nothing quite like watching our youngest runners race toward the finish line, full of excitement and determination! 🧡

We're so grateful to Dr. Karim Basta, Dr. Constantin Farah and the entire GumCare & Implant Specialists team for their continued generosity and enthusiasm for this special event.

Thank you for helping our littlest pumpkins shine year after year!

🎃 Join us October 31 for the Great Pumpkin Race!

🏃 Register: https://www.givesignup.org/Race/OH/Canton/GreatPumpkinRaceCanton

10/26/2026

🚒🎃 28 Years of Keeping the Great Pumpkin Race Running!

Some of our most important race day partners have been with us since the very beginning!

A HUGE thank you to Plain Township Fire & Rescue-Stark County, Ohio, our Race Course Sponsor, for 28 years of dedicated service and support!

From helping keep runners and walkers safe to providing essential road and emergency support, their team has been a vital part of the Great Pumpkin Race since our first event in 1998.

And their commitment goes beyond the race course! For all 28 years, Fire & Rescue families have volunteered their time to staff our finish line food and refreshment tables, welcoming hungry runners and walkers after their race. 🧡

We're also incredibly grateful to the Plain Township Road and Parks Departments, whose crews help with traffic control, road sweeping and the many behind-the-scenes details that make race day possible.

It truly takes a community to put on an event like the Great Pumpkin Race, and Plain Township has been there for us every step of the way.

We simply couldn't do it without you!

Please join us in thanking these amazing community partners and their families for 28 years of commitment to the Great Pumpkin Race and Special Olympics athletes in Stark County!