Ric Griffith
Member of the West Virginia House of Delegates
from the 19th[1] district
Assumed office
December 1, 2020
Personal details
NationalityAmerican
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materUniversity of Toledo College of Pharmacy

Ric Griffith is a Democratic member of the West Virginia House of Delegates for the 19th District, which encompasses part of Wayne County. He assumed office on December 1, 2020. His current term ends on November 30, 2022.[2]

Early life and education

Griffith graduated from Ceredo-Kenova High School and received a degree from the University of Toledo College of Pharmacy.[3]

Government service

Griffith served two terms as Kenova City Council President and two terms as Mayor of Kenova.[4]

The Pumpkin House

Griffith is well known for displaying several thousand jack-o'-lanterns on his property each Halloween.[5] Carving all the pumpkins is a community event, with around 20 dedicated volunteers helping. The pumpkin display is part of Ceredo-Kenova AutumnFest, a community-wide event which has a parade, scavenger hunt, and haunted trail. In 2019, he displayed over 3,000, one for every resident of his home town of Kenova, West Virginia.[6]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Griffith decided it was too risky to do the display at his home due to the large crowds that congregate to view it. He opted instead to have members of the community come by and pick up a pumpkin so it can be carved and displayed at their own homes. He created printed out instructions to go with each pumpkin to help the children and their families carve them.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ "Ric Griffith". Charleston, West Virginia: West Virginia Legislature. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  2. ^ "West Virginia House of Delegates". www.wvlegislature.gov.
  3. ^ "Ric Griffith's Biography". The Voter's Self Defense System – Vote Smart.
  4. ^ "W.Va. House 19 candidate: Ric Griffith (D)". The Herald-Dispatch.
  5. ^ "Kenova's Pumpkin House". www.wvculture.org.
  6. ^ Pennell, Julie (September 26, 2019). "This house in West Virginia displays 3,000 carved pumpkins every year!". Today. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  7. ^ Creasy, Luke (July 29, 2020). "Pumpkin House tradition won't end, owner says, but display was 'too risky' because of virus". The Coal Valley News. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  8. ^ Ward, Lee (October 23, 2020). "Lighting up Halloween — Pumpkin House owner hopes wife is right: 'If you carve them, they will come'". The Daily Independent. Retrieved January 9, 2021.


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