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HomeNewsArchivesNot for Profit: Rotary Makes Children’s Carnival Village Happen

Not for Profit: Rotary Makes Children’s Carnival Village Happen

Seated from left, Bruce Munro, B.J. Harris, Catherine Fahy, Patrick Pearson, ovelooked by John Fuller.  The annual Children’s Carnival Village held in conjunction with the St. John Festival gets planned and organized by just a handful of people on the Rotary Club’s committee. But it takes at least 25 volunteers a night to keep the village open.

“We’re hoping that some of the parents of children we’re looking after will come help us,” committee member John Fuller said.

The village runs from 6 to 9 p.m. June 30 through July 4 at the Creek bulkhead near the V.I. National Park ballfield.

The village provides children a safe, drug and alcohol free alternative to the adult village, Fuller said.

Rotary took over operations from the St. John Community Foundation three years ago, but the village is still operated in the same way. Kids pay 50 cents for tickets to play games such as strongman, balloon darts, basketball toss, milk bottle knockdown, and Hot Wheel racing. They also can play in the large inflated castle.

“They’re old fashioned ‘carney’ games. The kids love ‘em,” Rotary President Catherine Fahy said.

Some games cost one ticket and others two tickets.

Popcorn and snow cones are for sale. Kids can also get their face painted. Kids can win coins that they can accumulate to get prizes. Fahy said prizes include small things like play makeup kits and squirt guns. Larger prizes include basketball and soccer balls and large stuffed animals.

“The girls always like the stuffed animals,” Fahy said.

Fahy spoke about the good behavior of the children who attend the Children’s Carnival Village.

“These kids are just wonderful. They make it fun,” she said.

Fahy and Fuller are two of a many Rotary members who work on the project. They include incoming President Bruce Munro, Bob Schlesinger, B.J. Harris, Dave Carlson, Hank Slodden, Chris Angel and Patrick Pearson.

They’ve been busy for the last few weeks to make the Children’s Carnival Village happen.

“We don’t make any money. It all goes back into the prizes. But we think there should be a way to make some money, but we haven’t figured it out,” Fahy said, laughing.

The project is all part of the Rotary’s community service activities.

“That’s what Rotary is, community service,” Fahy said.

Anyone who wants to volunteer can leave a message for Fahy at 779-4464.

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