Gators 4 Kids hosts third annual Funkapalooza community carnival
Landon Plyler tosses a bean bag in a game of Corn Hole, an activity ran by the Allegheny Football table in Diamond Park.
Gators 4 Kids hosted the third annual Funkapalooza carnival in Diamond Park on Saturday, April 16, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., raising $401 for Weekend Nutrition for Students. WiNS provides food-insecure Meadville elementary school students with backpacks worth of food for weekends, according to G4K President Hayleigh Ast, ’16.
Ast said the goal of the organization is to connect Meadville children and the Allegheny College community, and the carnival is one way they aim to achieve this goal.
Other members of G4K agreed, saying the carnival was a good way to further the organization’s goals.
“We reach out to kids in the community, so I figured this would be helpful,” said G4K Online Communications Director Miriam Palmer, ’18.
G4K members Rosa Orduno, ’19, and Carina Saldivar, ’19, volunteered at a booth where the organization held a raffle for several different prizes. Ast said many of the items given away in the auction were donated by the local Family Video.
Other organizations used the event to inform community members about their goals. Claire Wilson, ’19, worked to raise awareness about America Reads, an organization whose volunteers serve as reading tutors for Meadville students.
Allegheny sports teams hosted tables as well. Joe DeSanti, ’17, represented the Allegheny football team. He said the team hoped to connect with Meadville through the carnival.
“This is a great event to give back to the community,” DeSanti said.
Representatives from the Interfraternity Council also volunteered their time. Phil Hesch, ’17, represented IFC and said he hoped the carnival was an event Meadville children could enjoy.
“It’s nice, especially for kids of Meadville, to come out to Diamond Park and enjoy an afternoon of fun and games,” Hesch said.
Meadville residents hoped the carnival would provide entertainment for them and their children as well.
“I got three kids and wanted something to do,” said James Alcorn. “This just provided some entertainment other than sitting inside and playing video games.”
Meadville resident Erica Plyler said her family has enjoyed many of the events hosted by Allegheny and hoped Funkapalooza would be no different.
“I have three boys and it’s a beautiful day,” Plyler said. “Thought we’d enjoy a little fun in the sun.”
