THE BALLOON MAN

Circus coming Monday and Tuesday

April 15, 2011

By Drew C. Wilson Havelock News

Nobody’s too old to enjoy the circus, according to John Flanigan. "Everybody’s a kid at heart," said the 73-year-old retired Marine master gunnery sergeant who is a veteran of two tours in Vietnam. Flanigan is chairman of the committee from VFW Post No. 7315 in Havelock that is sponsoring the return of the Cole Brothers Circus of the Stars to Havelock for performances Monday and Tuesday at Walter B. Jones Park in Havelock. Shows will be at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. each day. "Last year we had several adults that had never been to the circus and we coerced them into going and they enjoyed it," said Flanigan. "It’s an experience that you’ll never forget. "For a lot of the youngsters it will probably by the first time they’ve seen the circus and for the adults, they can be children again and enjoy the circus." The VFW post has been helping bring the circus to Havelock for more than 35 years, a tradition started by the now-disbanded Havelock Lions Club. Proceeds from the sale of the tickets go to charitable functions in the area. "The money we get will go for helping the military people in need, housing problems, medical problems, some instances of deaths, to make sure that if it’s a veteran that they get military honors for burial and that type of thing," Flanigan said. Money also goes to support the Craven-Cherry Point Child Development Center. "The last couple of years the circus has donated general admission tickets for us to distribute to active-duty Marines on the base and dependents with their spouses deployed," said Flanigan. The VFW is also selling tickets at area locations including Top’s Cigars and Kittrell Auto Parts in Havelock, Tommy’s Hot Bar and Gourmet Café in New Bern and the Painted Pelican in Morehead City. Advance ticket purchases save $5 off regular admission. Adult ticket prices range from $14 to $20. Free children’s tickets can be obtained by going online to http://www.colebroscircus.com/ and adult tickets can be purchased online at http://www.tickets.com/. Cole Brothers Circus of the Stars is celebrating its 127th season, and Marketing Director Ron West said many acts are new this year. The circus will also include some of the usuals, including elephants, horses, tigers, a trapeze act, an aerial ballet and the human cannonball.