Working the Carnival
The annual Lions Club carnival is a great fund raiser to support the many programs the Lions sponsor. But, working the food tent is quite an experience. The planning, buying of supplies and food, advertising and engaging members to commit to a wide variety of tasks is all in the planning. The actual doing is something to behold. Like a choreographed program with many moving parts. Without the clowns please! Just lots of rides all lit up with kids laughing as they get twirled, bounced and jiggled around and around.
When you show up for your shift, add an apron, food handling gloves and your Lions hat. Then the action begins. Hot dogs, hamburger/cheeseburger, chicken nuggets and fries, nachos with cheese, chili, sausage with peppers and onions the orders for food start coming in. Refill the catsup squeeze bottles. Are the beverages in the ice buckets yet?
Grill man has the burger ready. Fill the roll. Get it back to the front. Add a napkin. Next….. It gets hectic but under control.
Each night the shift looks different. Different crew, different people, different excitement. The best night is Saturday with fireworks… The crowd swells as the dark settles in. Last of the food is cooked and served. To run out just before closing means the planning was great. Fries, a drink and nachos in hand patrons settle in on the grass to get a good seat for the carnival finale – fireworks. The first one goes up, faces look to the sky, the crowd goes ooooh. Bang, whoosh and whistle. Sounds and sights to entertain us for the next while. Twenty minutes is never enough but the show ends with an eye popping crescendo that sends us all home feeling satisfied. Good show, good food, what a carnival. Thanks Lions for bringing us all together. See you next year, can’t wait.
Great article, Ken! Welcome to The Lions Club! You,along with many other Lions & Leos, made this Carnival a fun event for the community! So rewarding to see families having a great time! And all the money raised by the Lions goes back to great causes in the community!
Steve Hedrick | 2019-07-08 09:30:26
This is a great event. School has just ended, the kids are having fun, and people get together before the summer vacations turn Holliston into a ghost town. The Lions do a great job and this article gives one a sense of how the magic comes together. This article was so well written that I read it twice just to keep the vibe going. Thanks for all the hard work and great recap. Happy 4th! -Jay
Jay Robinson | 2019-07-04 04:50:06