Hey Neighbors! I’m St. John Johnson, a Cory resident, board member, and proud dad of two young kids.

Halloween is coming up in just a few weeks and it puts families like mine in a really tricky situation. My 8yo son has a severe anaphylactic allergy to nuts. This leads to mixed emotions about Halloween. Both excited about dressing up and going door-to-door, but anxious about people putting peanut butter candies into his basket and having to tell people that he can’t take their candy.

He’s not alone. 1 in 13 kids have a food allergy!

Thankfully the people at F.A.R.E. have been working for years on the Teal Pumpkin Project. It’s a simple concept, offer non-candy treats and put a teal pumpkin on your door so parents like me know it’s safe.

Target, CVS, etc offer all sorts of allergy-free trinkets and teal decorations. Some folks, like me, add signs like this to our front-yard.

The extra fun part is being able to be really creative with your goodies. For example, this year we’re giving out kinetic sand, glider airplanes, and fidgets.

So please, as you’re selecting your treats, consider allergy-friendly options and let parents and kids know by putting a teal pumpkin on your doorstep. You can also add your house to the Teal Pumpkin Map, help add some Teal to the Cory Neighborhood.

Thank you all in advance!

I’ll be giving out Teal Pumpkin buckets at the October 28th General Meeting.