THE BALLOON MAN

Shriner Circus comes to town

 

Jordon Beesley/Idaho State Journal The elephants were the grand finally Tuesday evening at the Shriners Circus held at the Bannock County Fairgrounds in Pocatello.
By Eniko Jordan
from: idahostatejournal.com
June 20, 2012
POCATELLO — “Is everybody ready for the circus?” was the cry of the ringmaster at the start of the El Korah Shrine Circus at the Bannock County Fairgrounds on Tuesday night. “Yes!” was the enthusiastic reply from the crowd in the stands, and the fun got under way. 

    Tuesday night’s circus had everything one would expect: jugglers and clowns, popcorn and cotton candy, balloons and performing dogs. But since it was a Shrine Circus, it was also an annual fundraising effort for the Shrine Temple, a part of the organization of the Shriners International. The organization is best known for its system of hospitals for children. 

    Stan Garrett, Shrine Temple Potentate for Southeast Idaho, explained that Idaho’s Shriners organization has always had good success from its fundraising with the circus, and this has proven true this year, with a turnout of 989 attendees at Tuesday afternoon’s show, and with even more attending Tuesday evening’s show.

    Garrett, who has been involved with the Shriners organization for 20 years, said “It’s the kids’’ that keep him willing to spend his time and effort with the group.

    “I went to a meeting and they had a movie that showed what they do for kids and I thought that if I was going to get involved in something, I wanted it to be with something that helped kids,” Garrett said. 

    Proceeds from the circus will help support the Shrine Temple’s activities, support the Shriners Hospitals, and be used for the travel fund that transports child patients and parents.

     “This year we will pass the milestone of having helped one million kids,” said Garrett.

    Tuesday evening’s performances enchanted the children at the show with many of them crouching down in front of the barrier to the three ring circus to get a closer look at the acts. Acts included a dancing couple that could magically switch outfits in the blink of an eye, a team of aerialist beauties swirling high above the ground, and performing afghan hounds jumping through hoops.

    Little Elsie sat with her family sipping her fruity, icy drink, and said her favorite act was the dogs. “They’re cool,” she said.

    In all about 16 acts made up the Shrine Circus on Tuesday night, including balancing gymnasts, circus comedians, and trick roller-skating.

    The Bengals were also out in force at the circus; not the Idaho State Bengals, but six Bengal tigers. Trainer Adam Burke led his three yellow tigers and three rare white tigers to climb up on their stools in formation, line up, roll over, and even hug him. Making it look like child’s play, Burke even had the Bengal tigers playing leapfrog with each other. The highlight of the tiger show elicited loud oohs and aahs from the crowd, as the tigers leaped through a flaming hoop.

    To learn more about the Shriners International and the Shriners Hospitals for Children, call 1 800 237-5055, or visit www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.
Read more: http://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/article_28f88614-baa1-11e1-bfa5-0019bb2963f4.html?mode=story#ixzz1yKr8beAL