Inaugural Onset Carnival for Boys & Girls Club lights Lopes Field

Aug 13, 2015

As the sun set over Lopes Field Wednesday evening, the Onset Carnival lights flickered to life. Despite being a bit of a last minute idea, carnival organizer Theresa O’Neill hoped the three-day event would be a successful fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club of Wareham.

“The Boys & Girls Club doesn’t have a lot of money … so I was hoping to continue [the carnival] annually,” she said.

O'Neill hopes to raise enough money to start a class at the club during the summer. Boys & Girls Club Director Ken Fontes said he would do what he could with whatever money the club received.

“To me, if they gave us $100 or $2,000 – anything is a good thing for the club,” Fontes said. “The money that comes in – most of it would be used for our after-school programs.”

Despite the small turnout the first night, carnival-goer Layce Ruhmpohl said her two nieces were having a blast. She said the two girls belong to the Boys & Girls Club, and that they were “here to support the Boys & Girls Club.”

“They want to do every ride, but they don’t have tickets for everything!” Ruhmpohl said. “[We have been here] at least an hour, hour and a half.”

The carnival will run again Thursday, Aug. 13 and Friday, 14, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Lopes Field. Parking is free, but O’Neill said donations are encouraged.