A lack of volunteers has forced the Parish of St. Catherine of Siena and St. Agnes to cancel its Carnival of Fun this year, said Bill Platt, the church's pastor.
… "It's kind of a staple of the Riverside community and it caused me sadness to say 'No we don't have the volunteer base to make this happen safely and productively,' " Platt said.
Typically, the Carnival of Fun takes place in mid-July outside of the church at 4 Riverside Ave, offering carnivalgoers entertainment, games, rides, 50/50 raffles and food, including the beloved pizza fritte. Last year, it was open to the public for four days.
This isn't the first time the carnival has been canceled. Most recently, it was shut down for three years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It first returned in 2023.
Platt said putting on the Carnival of Fun every year is no small feat, as it takes close to 200 volunteers to ensure carnival goers are having fun, while staying safe.
"In today's world, it's difficult to put on a volunteer-based carnival," he said.
Plus, volunteers must go through a background check, training and be able to dedicate a few nights in a row to help out.
"It's not just simply calling up and saying, 'I want to volunteer,' " Platt said.
Lacking a substantial volunteer base has also resulted in the church needing to restructure the carnival, Platt said.
In past years, the carnival would be open to the public for a full week. But it eventually went down to being open for four to five days.
"In 1965, you could have a carnival for two weeks because people could just show up and volunteer," Platt said. "With child abuse and elder abuse, we can't do that anymore [forgive him father, he knows not what he says —Ed*] . ... Our lives are no longer as spontaneous as they used to be, regrettably."
… "It's beautiful weather," Platt said. "It would be a beautiful time to be having our carnival but without the volunteer base, it can't happen."
FWIW: Shrinking congregations, increased regulations, and a 3-year shutdown (many organizations that suspended activities during the government-imposed lockdown have never reopened; thanks, Fauci, thanks, media fear mongers), all combined to kill this carnival; too bad.
*Known for decades, yet hidden by the press, which loves a good story:
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