LEXINGTON – The circus is coming, the circus is coming!
The call has gone out in the community, but it first came to Steve Myers, co-founder of The Visual Bucket List Foundation. He was recently contacted by both the circus and the eSight Eyewear, which provides electronic glasses for people who are visually impaired.
First, Myers took a call from the Culpepper & Merriweather Circus, asking to partner with the Mansfield-based nonprofit to bring the big top to Lexington. Then, only a few days later, he received an email from eSight Eyewear, detailing the story of 13-year-old Connor Wills, of Berlin Center, and asking for assistance to provide the boy with a pair of glasses.
“Things seem to happen this way for us. They happen at the right time,” Myers said. “If we hadn’t got the call from the circus, we would have had to say, we can do what we can, but don’t have all the funds.”
Instead, the Mansfield-based nonprofit wrote a check for $2,050. It was a stretch, but Myers is hopeful the partnership with the circus will bring in enough funds to counter the expense. A portion of the event’s proceeds will benefit the Visual Bucket List Foundation.
When Wills receives his electronic glasses, he will be able to zoom in on information he otherwise can’t see. He was born with Optic Nerve Atrophy, a disease affecting the central and peripheral vision, visual clarity and his ability to see in dim lighting conditions.
“While Connor has been lucky enough to have a few very good friends who look out for him and make sure he’s in the loop with what’s going on around him, we are hopeful that this technology might help him be able to truly participate in his life instead of living it vicariously through others’ descriptions and cheers,” his parents Chris and Staci wrote in an appeal for donations.
The Circus
The Culpepper & Merriweather (C&M) Circus will perform at 5 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 9 in the lot in front of the Lexington water plant, 152 Plymouth St.
Each 90-minute show includes performances by the Wheel of Destiny & Tight Rope by The Perez Family, Miss Simone on the trapeze, The Arlise Troupe on their unicycles, Miss Paulina’s proud “Big & Little” prancing ponies, Natalie’s American Eskimo Escapades and Miss Georgia displaying flexibility to the extreme.
Jungle cats, named Soloman, Delilah and Francis, will also take the stage with Mr. Trey Key.
Earlier in the day, people can get a behind the scenes look through the circus’s popular Morning Tour. Between 9:30 and 10 a.m., people can watch the raising of the Big Top tent, then stay for a free walking tour of the circus grounds and meet-and-greet with the C&M Circus family.
The presentation will feature interesting facts about the performers, the history of the show and the different species of animals in our Circus Family. It will also cover hygiene, grooming and the veterinary care for the animals.
Now in its 33rd edition, the C&M Circus has become internationally known. It’s been featured on National Geographic’s Explorer TV series, Entertainment Tonight, The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, Arizona Highways Magazine. It has also been featured on the A&E Special: Under the Big Top and most recently, On the Road with Circus Kids, a Nickelodeon special featured on the Nick News Program.
Advance tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for seniors (65 and over) and children age 2 to 12. Children under 2 are free. They can be purchased in advance at The Lexington Senior Center, Forget Me Not Flower Shop in Lexington, Paul Revere Restaurant, Hamilton Insurance Group, Wayne’s Market and all Richland Bank locations.
On show day, tickets cost $13 for adults and $8 for seniors and children. Children under 2 are free.
For more information or to reserve discount tickets, call 866-BIG-TOP-6 Monday through Friday. Reservations will be available until 5 p.m. show day, but only at this number.
