Boys and Girls Clubs celebrate 40th anniversary at circus

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota County could think of no better place to celebrate the organization’s 40th anniversary milestone than Circus Sarasota — but the group of 200-plus kids from multiple club locations was holding up the show.

Chuck Sidlow, better known as Chucko the Clown, was frantically pacing back and force across the grounds of Circus Sarasota Monday, Feb. 15, as he waited for a team of staff from the Boys and Girls Clubs to count off an ever-growing line of kids for the 1 p.m. show. He did, however, spend a few minutes shaking hands and posing photographs with the kids. But the time was 1:07 p.m., and the audience was growing anxious.

“Come on kids, let’s go! It’s time to start the show!” Chucko exclaimed.

Group by group, the kids marched forward into the circus tent hallway, which emitted a neon-red light that excited them, and found their seats in section seven.

“Thanks to a group of donors led by David and Jane Taylor, many of our kids will have the opportunity to attend the circus with tickets provided by generous donors,” said Mack Reid, president of the BGCSC. “Sarasota Circus has been a friend of the club for many years, and we are thrilled to celebrate our milestone with such a mainstay of our community.”

 Contact Loren Mayo at [email protected].