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Lions Club Carnival back for 46th year

Fri, 05/10/2019 - 11:34 am
Funds raised benefit local causes over the years
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    Visitors take a stroll on the square Wednesday during the first day of the Lions Club Carnival which is hosted from Wednesday, May 8 through Saturday, May 11. The carnival has been a staple event in Graham since 1974, raising funds for local projects. (Leader photo by Nathan Lawson)
news@grahamleader.com

Since 1974, the Graham Noon Lions Club Carnival has brought community members a chance to have memorable moments while supporting various projects in the town. The carnival has been in town since Wednesday, May 8, and will celebrate its last day today from 5 p.m. to midnight.

Carnival Chairman Jim Senkel said this will be the 46th consecutive year which the Lions Club has ran the event.

“I worked the first year, I have been here for 44 of the 45 years that it has happened,” Senkel said. “I missed one year in 2008, because my son-in-law was stationed overseas and I went to be with my daughter and grandson for his first birthday.”

The first carnival took place when high winds came through and knocked down the light standards at Graham High School’s Newton Field, the carnival chairman said. The carnival was a way for the club to fund the construction of various projects including lights and a new track in the restoration of the field.

Some other projects which the money raised from the carnival has helped fund include the building of Young County Arena, restroom facilities on the downtown square and the former 4-H and FFA livestock facilities.

“So, we have used our money in many large projects,” Senkel said. “But, mainly it (goes to) the small, everyday on going projects that we do.”

For the rest of the story see the Saturday, May 11 edition of The Graham Leader.