Great Weather and Delicious Soup Headline CUIMC’s Fall Festival

On Oct. 27, faculty, staff, and students at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and community members in Washington Heights enjoyed beautiful weather, an in-person pumpkin carving, warm soup, and a winter squash giveaway at CUIMC’s annual Employee Appreciation Fall Festival in Haven Plaza.

Chef Keily Busby and his team from the Faculty Club produced 3,000 servings of turkey chili and creamy butternut squash soup for attendees, many of whom also took home one of 1500 winter squash. The festival was part of a series of employee appreciation events organized by the CUIMC Events Office.

“It’s a perfect day. The air, the colors, the chrysanthemums. I love this time of year. Oh, and I like the squash soup,” said Yvonne Wojcicki, executive director for campus life and regulatory compliance and an event volunteer.

The carving of the giant pumpkin–one of the highlights of the event–was performed by a local artist from Maniac Pumpkin Carvers, who sculpted a tribute to Mary Putnam Jacobi, the first woman in the U.S. to earn a pharmacy degree and the first woman admitted to the École de Médecine of the University of Paris.

In the weeks leading up to the giant pumpkin carving, members of the CUIMC community were invited to guess the weight of the pumpkin. There were five winners with guesses closest to the actual weight of 614 lbs. 8 oz.: Kristina Adjieva (student, Institute of Human Nutrition); Emma Boucher (student, Mailman School of Public Health); Louisa deButts (standardized patient operations coordinator, VP&S); Michael De Francesco (student, Mailman School of Public Health); and Ariana Olivares (clinical research coordinator II, Department of Radiology, VP&S).

Food drive continues through Nov. 20

Festival attendees also donated to the Helping Hands Annual Food Drive organized by the CUIMC Office of Academic and Community Partnerships. The food drive will continue through Nov. 20, and donations will be distributed to families in need this holiday season.

Donations can be dropped off at collection bins across campus at the following locations: 

• Allan Rosenfield lobby (722 W. 168th St.)
• Hammer Health Sciences Center Lower Level 1 (701 W. 168th St.)
• Black Building lobby (650 W. 168th St.)
• School of Nursing lobby (560 W. 168th St.)

The most needed items include grains (brown rice, oatmeal, and pasta), dry and canned beans, cooking oils (olive and canola), seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic, cumin), and canned food (cranberry sauce, unsweetened fruits, tomatoes, soup, vegetables, meat, and fish). Only unexpired and non-perishable food items will be accepted.

Donations can also be made via the drive’s Amazon Wishlist. For more information about the food drive, please contact the Office of Academic and Community Partnerships at 212-305-8060, acp@cumc.columbia.edu, or visit their Campus Drives website.