Hartwell
He’s already got his cowboy boots, a sash, and a new Stetson-style hat. And with a little humorous prodding, Jeremy Pushor might just add one more authoritative touch to his growing getup for the kidscommons museum annual fundraiser on Feb. 10.
That would be a sheriff’s star. After all, he and his wife Stephanie have joined friends Drew and Claire Runion in a leadership role as honorary co-chairs of The Commons’ gathering that is the facility’s biggest event normally with more than 300 attendees pre-COVID.
“You know, I hadn’t exactly thought of that (addition),” Pushor said with a laugh.
But the event titled Carnivale: Wild West is a perfect fit for the co-chairs. Pushor grew up with Western items around his childhood home and also with horses. And Drew Runion’s father was a rodeo champion in the 1980s.
So the kidscommons’ organizers clearly have saddled up and are riding along with the idea of let’s get real.
“I don’t think they knew any of this, though,” Pushor said.
Leaders are doing as they always have and are encouraging an expected crowd of about 200 people to dress according to theme of the event that begins at 7 p.m. — just after sundown, for those who are high plains drifters. Last year, most of the attendees ran with a 1980s theme and spoofed everything from big, permed hair to makeshift Karate Kid apparel as auctions raised $90,000 — what leaders termed remarkable — amid an economy and a local fundraiser schedule decimated by the pandemic.
The money goes for the museum’s work to educate and entertain youngsters and their families — more than 50,000 annually in some recent years. The Pushors, with two children ages 8 and 12 they regularly take to kidscommons, have loved it so much that one of Jeremy Pushor’s businesses, Pushor Builders, has been a sponsor for Carnivale for the past five years.
Yet, he and his wife regularly talk with families still unaware of what kidscommons or Carnivale is.
“It’s such a fun night,” he said.
Whitney Hartwell, kidscommons interim executive director, mentioned that nearly 150 tickets had been sold — and that was before most cowpokes even knew there would be line dancers, ax throwing, plus cowboy caviar on the menu.
“People tend to get really excited about everything connected with the themes (of Carnivale),” Hartwell said. “And this is something that’s pretty easy to dress up to.”
Jeremy Pushor understands quite well. He has one more item on the way — one that he forgot to mention earlier: an oversized, Western belt buckle.
After all, as a kidscommons sheriff, he’ll be holdin’ up some pretty big britches.
Get tickets
For Carnivale: Wild West at kidscommons.org/carnivale/.
