GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Pinkn' Patch, a local nonprofit, reported a burglary at its Grand Rapids warehouse Tuesday, citing the theft of four commercial paint sprayers and hundreds of paint brushes.
"Spirits are down but the cause is good," Pinkn' Patch Founder Scott Packer said.
For weeks, the newly-formed charity had spray painted pumpkins in the Godfrey Avenue facility, selling the fruits to support families with a breast cancer patient.
"We have a special city," Packer said in a September interview with FOX 17.
Initially, Packer and his team planned to paint 20,000 pumpkins, but rainy weather cut into a volunteer schedule and also prompted a location change for a Saturday fundraiser.
"You kind of wonder how many amazing, beautiful ideas go by the wayside because of misfortune or evil," Packer said Tuesday.
Now, rows of pumpkins sit on painting stands in the Pinkn' Patch warehouse, waiting for a hot pink coat that won't arrive due to the alleged burglary.
Before making a Monday afternoon pumpkin delivery, Packer noticed two brand-new sprayers had been removed from their packaging. Dozens of paint brushes were missing, too.
"You can always feel when something's up, you know?" Packer said.
Still, he completed the delivery and returned to more items missing— two additional sprayers and the remainder of the paint brushes.
"My heart sank," Packer said. "I didn't know what to do."
The next morning, he filed a police report and attempted to "salvage" the situation.
"We're trying to make it even at this point," Packer said, citing a lower-than-expected fundraising total largely impacted by Saturday's weather and location change.
Despite their discounted rate, the nonprofit must still pay Meijer for the pumpkins and plans to sell remaining pink and unpainted pumpkins by donation at the warehouse.
"If you give us a buck, take a handful of orange pumpkins," Packer said. "If you’ve got a ten, great. God bless you."
The Pinkn' Patch has no plans to abandon their cause, though. In addition to the pumpkin drive on Saturday and Sunday, Packer has already started planning for next year's "harvest," overseeing the development of an app that will allow families with a breast cancer patient to apply for simple services, including laundry and lawn care.
This is fantastic. It's a beautiful idea," Packer said. "I don't quit."
