KENOVA -- People from all over the area have already stepped up to do their part to get the Pumpkin House ready for this week's opening show. While there's one man at the heart of it all, he says it's the work of hundreds of volunteers that makes the event truly special.

It's that time of year when thousands of pumpkins wait to be carved at Rick Griffith's home at 748 Beech St. in Kenova.

"It's chaotic and wonderful. All the people are here from Wayne, Boy Scout Troops, Church Groups. They're doing whatever we need at the moment. So, we'll make it but it's going to be chaos for the next three days," said Ric Griffith, owner of the Pumpkin House.

Groups come from all over the tri-state to help, including a crew of Wayne Middle School Student Council members.

"It's a good thing because a lot of people come here. This is an internationally famous thing so a lot of people come here to help and look," Corey Ferguson, eighth grader, said.

"We just wanted to come and help out the community and help with the pumpkin house, carve our some pumpkins," said Danielle Perry, another member of the Wayne student council.

While the hands of hundreds of kids have hollowed the gourds out, Rick now needs adults who can manage machines.

Jigsaws are used to cut out the faces Griffith stays up drawing. He says he hasn't slept an hour the past two nights. And while it's the first time for many volunteers, others like Mary Leighton, come back year after year.

"To see these faces. If you come here and see these people's faces and see all of these 3,000 pumpkins that are lit up, it is amazing," said Mary Leighton, volunteer.

Griffith couldn't be more appreciative of the time spent by these, and hundreds of other volunteers, and knows none of this would be possible without them.

"People I don't even know show up and say, what can i do? It's a wonderful thing. They realize how difficult it is to get this project done and they just want to help because they enjoy it," Griffith said.

Rick is welcoming people to come by his house anytime after four in the coming days. Thursday night the festivities will kick off and as always, anyone is welcome to visit free of charge.