Tuesday, April 2, 2013

IREM SHRINE CIRCUS

Circus focus of fun and frustration


Castle's Proforming Bears was one of the animal acts here one of the bears rides a motorcycle
photo by Fred Adams 4-1-13
from:  times-leader.com
By BILL O’BOYLE
April 01, 2013
WILKES-BARRE — Clowns, elephants, tigers, bears, acrobats and protesters — the circus is back in town.
While dedicated animal rights activists stood out in the rain and peacefully protested outside, the 64th Irem Shrine Circus got under way inside Monday afternoon in the 109th Field Artillery Armory before a packed house of painted-faced, cotton candy-eating children and hundreds of others.
“We usually come here every year,” said Maria Coppola of Mountain Top Kids Day Care Center. “They love it here.”
Coppola and her sister, Velia, brought about 32 children to the first performance of the week-long circus. The kids were slurping slushies, wearing cotton candy on their faces and sporting face-painted designs.
“I want to see the elephants,” one little girl yelled.
“I like the tigers,” a little boy said.
 
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Protesters stand on the side walk waving their signs outside the Kingston Armory Silvie Pomicter and Judy Popso dressed as an elephant were part of the protesters gathered
photo by Fred Adams 4-1-13
Protesters stand on the side walk waving their signs outside the Kingston Armory Silvie Pomicter and Judy Popso dressed
as an elephant.
Silvie Pomichter, president of Voice of the Animals, likes tigers and elephants and all animals — just not in the circus. Pomichter and about five of her group’s members — including a pink and gray elephant (Judy Popso) — held signs and passed out literature to those who would take it. The signs said: “Animals don’t belong in circuses” and “Circus animals are starved, beaten and chained.” Popso’s sign just asked people to “Be an elefriend.”
read more:
http://timesleader.com/news/local-news/398773/Circus-focus-of-fun-and-frustration

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