Clowns to cotton candy, elephants and lions and tigers, and oh so much more.
Gotta be the circus.
Kids young and old can see the annual Jericho Shrine Circus Oct. 9-11 at Freedom Hall in Johnson City. Presented by and in benefit of Tri-Cities based Jericho Shrine Temple, the circus features Springfield, Mo.-based George Carden Circus.
Charles Fellers, who serves the Jericho Shrine as its circus director, said this year marks more than 30 years of their presenting a circus in the region.
“We’ve always had real good family shows,” Fellers said. “George Carden brings in super shows. It’s a good, clean family show.”
Expect the expected. Elephants as large as a house, lions and tigers with roar attached, gravity-defying trapeze artists, ridiculously funny clowns, cotton candy and so on. Hey, it’s a circus.
“It’s amazing, entertaining stuff,” Sellers said. “The cost is reasonable. It won’t cost you an arm and a leg.”
But it may warm your heart.
Jericho Shrine serves about seven or eight counties, Sellers said. Their focus centralizes on helping children in need of surgical and otherwise dire medical attention.
“We send the kids at no cost to Shriner’s Hospitals,” said Herb Kennedy, an officer with Jericho Shrine. “All major surgeries for the children are free.”
That addresses one aspect of Jericho Shrine.
“We are two entities,” Kennedy said. “There’s our children’s side and our fraternal side. This event each October benefits our fraternal side.”
Then each spring, Jericho Shrine stages an event to benefit its children’s side. Now, the fraternal aspect may seem less important and thus less worthy of fund-raising.
Not so.
“It’s critical,” Kennedy said. “We need to stay open to support the kids. If we don’t send the kids to Shriner’s Hospitals, who would?”
In other words, their annual presentation of the Jericho Shrine Circus is as needed as its spring event that addresses funds raised directly for the children.
“If we didn’t have the circus and our fundraising,” Kennedy said, “we wouldn’t be here.”
It keeps their doors open, lights on, and thus able to serve.
“It’s a wonderful benefit,” Sellers said.
Yet for those who attend, the benefit may be there’s. Oh sure, there’s the prospect of warm hearts and all in the knowledge of having helped those who help those in need within the community.
But kids, listen up. Persuade Mom and Dad to bring you, and you just may win a new bicycle.
“We give four new bicycles away during every show,” Sellers said.
Six shows in three days equals 24 bicycles to be given to 24 lucky kids. Just attend one of the six shows and buy a program, which sells for about $2. If a number drawn reflects the given number from within the program, voila! You’re a winner.
But the circus isn’t simply for the kids.
“My parents were 87 years old and they loved the circus just like two kids,” Sellers said. “There’s a little kid in all of us.”
TOM NETHERLAND is a freelance writer. He can be reached at features@bristolnews.com.
IF YOU GOn What: Jericho Shrine Circus
Featuring: The George Carden Circusn When: Oct. 9 at 7 p.m., Oct. 10 at 10 a.m., 2:30 p.m., and 7:30 p.m., and Oct. 11 at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.n Where: Freedom Hall, 1320 Pactolas Rd., Johnson City
Admission: $12 adults, children ages 5 and under admitted free
Info: (423) 461-4884n Web: www.shrinecircusfund.com
And: www.georgecardencircus.com
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