Monday, August 31, 2009
More surprising even than a chilly, 57-degree night in the middle of a Kansas August was the sight of a Ferris Wheel towering next to the Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center Saturday night.
Extending across half of the parking lot, the Student Union Activities Carnival offered more than 2,500 students four hours of fun at a bargain price. Students received five free tickets and could purchase another 10 tickets for $5.
Photo Gallery
SUA Carnival 2009
A photo gallery of the 3rd annual Student Union Activities carnival.
Though lines for the attractions could last up to 30 minutes, and some students said they wished for more free tickets, most praised the event.
“The carnival was the place to be,” said Bradley Strathman, Topeka freshman.
An hour after his arrival at the carnival, Strathman sported a green and white Dr. Seuss hat, won from one of the games offered. He carried a Daffy Duck balloon animal in his hand and a pink teddy bear in his back pocket, another trophy from his carnival gaming skills.
Samphors Sar, Cambodia graduate student, said she had never been to a carnival before Saturday night.
“It’s hard to say because I don’t have a comparison,” she said. “But from what I can see, it’s really good. It’s just like Worlds of Fun.”
As she walked through the carnival, Sar’s eyes roamed from the Ferris Wheel in one corner to the horse-racing game in the other. Pulled in every direction by bright lights, fast rides and big prizes, Sar finally decided to spend her five free tickets on the Musical Chairs swing ride and the balloon dart game — a game she knew from home.
While still dizzy and a bit nauseous from the swings, Sar headed to the balloon dart game. Armed with two tickets and practiced skills, Sar took aim. Though she popped two balloons, she earned only one point, thus limiting her prize options to a temporary tattoo set. Despite her disappointment — she had her eyes on a big purple dinosaur — she said the game was her favorite because it reminded her of home.
The games also drew Ben Davis, Osawatomie freshman. Davis, however, said he had eyes for only one thing when he walked through the myriad attractions: the big, plush Batman at Duck Pond.
Pooling the tickets of dedicated friends, Davis made his way to Duck Pond. A table with floating ducks and the woman facilitating the game were now the only things standing between him and his prize, worth 100 points.
“I’m not very lucky,” he said. “If I wasn’t given all these free tickets, I don’t know what I’d do.”
After his first two tickets yielded three ducks worth a total of six points, Davis decided to set his sights a little lower: the mini plush Batman worth 32 points. Eight tickets later, Davis had his Batman in hand and knew exactly where the toy would sit on his desk. For Davis, the night was a success.
Molly Iler, Summit, N.J., junior and games coordinator with SUA, said the night overall was a “huge success.”
“I was so happy everyone had such a great time,” she said.
— — Edited by Brenna M. T. Daldorph
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