LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — If you've spotted purple pumpkins around Lexington recently, they're not just seasonal decorations – they're part of a meaningful initiative to raise awareness about domestic violence.
The "Peace Pumpkins" are the result of a partnership between Transylvania University and Lexington's Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Coalition. Students at the university paint the pumpkins each October in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
"Maybe when someone sees a pumpkin that they can smile and see that they're not alone," said junior Alejandro Perez Canedo.
The purple pumpkins can be found throughout the city – at local businesses as well as in government buildings and courthouses.
Ashley Hill, the Dean of Student Success at Transylvania University, said the October tradition began in 2019 as a companion project to the "Wake Up Lexington" initiative that takes place each April.
"We paint more and more each year. We started with 50 pumpkins the first year, we're up to 150. We probably could go more than that and still have a need for more pumpkins," Hill said.
But these aren't just decorative pumpkins. Each one comes with a card featuring a QR code that links directly to domestic violence resources.
"For issues like domestic violence, I believe awareness is the best thing you can do to make change. Everybody knows everybody here, and I feel like spreading the word is the best way to go about that," said junior Max Hankins.
The QR codes provide access to resources that could potentially change lives, offering help to those who need it or information for people who might encounter someone in need of assistance.
"Even if you think that it's not something that applies to you right now, it might be something that could help somebody in the future. It might be something that you can keep in your back pocket when you run into a family member, a friend, a community member," Hill explained.
The message behind the Peace Pumpkins is simple but powerful: "Our job is to take care of each other, so check it out just to have the knowledge for whoever you encounter in the future," said Hill.
The initiative demonstrates how a creative community partnership can turn a simple fall tradition into a tool for awareness and support during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
