Under the big top

Culpepper and Merriweather Circus comes to town
GRUNDY CENTER – Last Friday morning, the Culpepper and Merriweather Circus rolled into town, setting up shop at the George Wilhelm Sports Complex. By that night, they had transformed the area into a lively spectacle complete with a big top tent, live jungle cats, and plenty of entertainment and fun for the whole family.
During the course of the night, audience members were dazzled by several captivating acts, including: a lion-taming show by Trey Key and his big cats, Francis the Lion and Delilah the Tiger; as well as a trapeze show by Miss Simone; a balancing act, a contortionist, and more. Bringing a little comic-relief was Leo the Clown, who enlisted members of the audience to help with his act.
Over 680 tickets were sold for the event, which was sponsored by the local Kiwanis Club.
A portion of the proceeds from the ticket sales will go back to the Kiwanis Club, and will be used towards different projects throughout the year that help support the youth of the community.
According to Dan Olson, the president of the Grundy Center Kiwanis Club, at least 40 tickets for the circus were donated to Operation Threshold, and given to families in need across the community.
“We wanted as many kids as possible to enjoy the event, and we think we provided something really fun for them,” Olson said.
He added that he thought the event was a success, and that he had heard nothing but good things from people in the community.
“We really appreciate how everyone in the community comes out to support our fundraisers, because without their support, we wouldn’t be able to go out and help children in the community through different projects,” Olson said. “We’re very thankful for them.”
For anyone interested, the Grundy Center Kiwanis Club meets at 7 a.m. on Wednesday mornings at the Grundy County Memorial Hospital Education Room.