Everything is bigger in Texas, right?
Especially homecoming mums.
Arlington ISD’s special education department just beat the Guinness world record for largest homecoming mum.
The pink and white mum measures nearly 22 feet long with a plywood base shrouded in ribbons, flowers and a teddy bear. At just over 11 square meters, this mum beats the previous Guinness world record of 6.5 square meters.
Homecoming mums have long been a Texas tradition. Every October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the district’s special education department comes up with a way to raise awareness for breast cancer.
This year, the department decided to merge the two.
“Breast cancer is a disease that has touched our department personally many times over the years,” Sherry Hall, special education instructional specialist, said in a press release. “We just wanted to give some hope and raise awareness while having fun, too.”
Staff from the University of Texas at Arlington’s architecture department measured and certified specifications for the mum. Arlington ISD received notification last week that the mum officially broke the record. The district is now waiting for the certificate from Guinness.
The mum has been in the works for two years, delayed by COVID-19 in 2020.
More than a dozen staff members completed the mum this summer, after nearly 50 hours of construction. Because of its size, the mum was built in a driveway at Hall’s mother’s house.
Some of the materials, including about 450 yards of ribbon, were recycled from past department events. The mum even has a hanger attached, although no one would be able to actually wear this piece.
The mum will be on display this month in the lobby of the downtown Arlington Public Library. A pink wall will be placed behind the mum for people who have been affected by breast cancer to sign.
“If you’re fighting or supporting someone who is fighting this disease, we hope this gives you some joy and hope,” Hall said in the press release. “We urge everyone to get tested and do your part to fight this disease.”
