Lions Club announce second largest carnival in club history

Despite losing most of one day due to weather, the 2022 Lions Club Carnival event was the second largest carnival in its history. Carnival co-chairs Jim Senkel and Ashley Hodges gave members of the Graham Noon Lions Club a recap of the annual event during the club’s meeting Wednesday at North Central Texas College.

Taking place the second week of May on the Downtown Square, community members visited the carnival at a near-record pace.  This year’s carnival was May 11-14. The carnival closed early Friday, May 13, after the event was shut down by the fire marshal due to constant threats of thunderstorms through the night.

The club estimates a profit of $30,000-35,000 this year. An exact figure was not available as expenditures are still in the process of getting sorted. Senkel said the club made more purchases this year than in years past.

Funds raised at the carnival go toward causes including the PK Relays, SPOT eye screenings for over 6,000 children in 22 school districts, eye exams and purchasing of eyeglasses, the Texas Lions Camp for Disabled Children, leader dogs for the blind, the honors banquet for Graham High School seniors, Straight Street after school program, scholarships for Graham High School seniors, Graham Regional Medical Center’s Health Fair, Virginia’s House, Graham Backpack Buddies, Remembering Wyatt Dale Water Safety and other programs as well as other items as presented to the Lions Club board.

Other projects in the past that have received help from carnival funds have included the building of Young County Arena, restroom facilities on the downtown square and the former 4-H and FFA livestock facilities. The club also funds and donates to the Angel Tree program and the Crisis Center.

For the full story, see the Saturday, June 18 edition of The Graham Leader.