Swim Club Says Spring Fling was a Success [VIDEO]

From May 9-12 the  and it was a rousing success, according to swim cub member Cate Carley.

“We had over 100 volunteers, who did anything from selling tickets to setting up,” she told the Green Brook Township Committee at Monday's meeting.

The carnival started on May 9, but rain kept the first night's attendance low. Despite the slow start, the event worked well enough for club members to plan on repeating it next year. 

Some of the  were DJs and bands and Sparkee, the mascot of the Somerset Patriots, made an appearance as well.

In addition to the midway rides, there were games offering fish—as well as the carnival-favorite stuffed animals that every kid yearns for—as prizes. There was also a wide variety of food vendors including sausage and peppers, hamburgers, cotton candy, Italian ice and more.

Due to the overwhelming success of the carnival, swim club members are already planning on doing one next year—but this time they'll start planning a bit sooner.

“Previously, I have started planning eight-10 months for a carnival,” Township Committeewoman Nancy Stoll said.

Carley’s daughter Grace made a video of the carnival’s highlights to show the carnival from “a kid’s point-of-view.” About 90 seconds of the three-minute-and-48-second video was played for the commitee, and was met by cheers from committee members and residents at the meeting.

Mayor Jerry Searfoss even gave Grace a hug to start off the night.

A member of the EMS on hand for the carnival said they were glad to be there, and reported that the EMS was called on for “a few kids that had a few scrapes and bruises from falling on the black-top.”

The hopes that next year will be even better—perhaps without the rainy start.

This article was edited to correct the information on the first night's turnout, and some spelling errors.