Last year, EHS held a carnival during homecoming week that raised roughly $3,000 for the community. Groups from around the school came together and set up booths with various activities including face painting, fortune telling and magic tricks. This year, EHS will yet again hold another carnival, but this time for a different cause.
The carnival will benefit the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America charity and it will take place at EHS on Nov. 2. It will be open from 11:30 a.m. until 8 p.m.
The idea of this year’s carnival came from various people within different areas of District 7. Columbus Elementary teacher Mr. Matt Maddox was one of the driving forces behind the idea.
According to Principal Dennis Cramsey, Mr. Maddox is a veteran. “He [Mr. Maddox] presented an idea to Dr. Hightower to support a veterans organization,” Mr. Cramsey said. Mr. Maddox has researched a number of veterans organizations to use. There will be corporate donors who will match $4 to every $1 that the carnival raises, according to Mr. Cramsey.
In addition to high school groups such as Student Council and the National Honor Society, the carnival this year is a district wide-event. EHS groups such as Thespian Troupe 1534, EHS baseball, EHS tennis and EPIC have already signed up to help at the event. Middle school groups will be helping as well.
Student Council sponsor Mrs. Melissa Beck said that there has yet to be a deadline to sign up and help with the activities. “I’m just hoping that a lot of people sign up [to help],” Beck said.
This year’s carnival will hopefully meet or exceed the financial goal of $10,000. Beck said donations are being collected to raise money. “We are going for donations at all the different [District 7] schools,” Beck said. The day of the carnival, tickets will be sold for various events such as inflatable bounce houses, rock walls, basketball games and more.
“There is also going to be three shows that day. There will be a comedy/magic act that is aimed for little elementary kids, there is going to be a show that’s aimed towards families and then there is going to be a show that is aimed toward more high school kids, and it will be a comedy/hypnosis show in the evening,” Beck said.
Junior Amelia Schweger is one of the students helping out with the carnival. Schweger will be at the face-painting booth with Thespian Troupe 1534. “I am not currently part of the Thespian Troupe 1534, but I do support the Troupe as well as the war veterans,” Schweger said. “I am very proud to be helping out for the benefit of war veterans because I think it is very important to honor those who fought for our country.”
