THE BALLOON MAN

Arab Shriners At Red Robin To Promote Annual Circus

Reporter: Sarah Plake

Feb 09, 2013

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) -- Guests at Red Robin certainly saw some different and colorful faces greeting them at the doors.

The Arab Shriners, along with their circus clowns, visited the restaurant to promote the 74th annual Arab Shrine Circus from February 22 through the 24 at the Kansas Expocentre.

Families signed up to win a family four-pack of tickets to the event, and kids got the chance to meet the clowns and get some clown swag to wear as well.

All the proceeds from the long-running circus help the Shrine's 22 nationwide children's hospitals. There are also facilities in Mexico and Canada.

Each year the organization spends $1.8 million dollars to keep the hospitals running.

Promoting the circus helps the Shriners' cause.

"All the proceeds stay here in Northeast Kansas," Public Relations Director Roger Farthing said. "It helps keep our doors open so we can aid our favorite philanthropy."

The Shriners also gave out 5,000 tickets to United Way, the military and local fire and police departments.