Last modified: Friday, May 11, 2012
Fun Frolic comes to an end after IU, Big Brothers Big Sisters drop sponsorship
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 11, 2012
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University Bloomington Early Childhood Education Services and Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central Indiana have ended their sponsorship of the Fun Frolic, an annual Bloomington carnival.
The event was once a valuable fundraiser for the two organizations. But in recent years, attendance had declined precipitously and the sponsors barely took in enough money to cover expenses, said Tim Dunnuck, director of IU Bloomington Early Childhood Education Services.
"This was a very tough decision," Dunnuck said. "The Fun Frolic had been a Bloomington tradition and an Indiana University tradition. But it no longer made sense for us to continue as sponsors."
The decision means there will be no Fun Frolic in 2012. The organizations have canceled their contract with Cumberland Valley Shows, the vendor that provided rides and games for the carnival.
The Fun Frolic took place in the west parking lot of Assembly Hall during the second full week of June. IU Bloomington Early Childhood Education Services and Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central Indiana had sponsored the carnival since 1994. Begun in 1957, it was sponsored for 37 years by the IU Bloomington Staff Council as a fundraiser for scholarships.
Dunnuck said the event had outlived its usefulness for the sponsors as a result of declining revenue coupled with concerns about safety, liability and environmental risk.
IU Bloomington Early Childhood Education Services provides year-round, high-quality care and education to the children of Indiana University Bloomington faculty, staff and students. Funded through the Office of the Provost, it operates three early childhood centers and two day-care cooperatives.
Big Brothers Big Sisters pairs adult mentors with children to develop one-to-one relationships built on trust and friendship. It has offices in Bloomington and Spencer.
