This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.

Nelly Helps St. George Carnival Benefit ESCA of Branford

As carnival chairman, Joe Nelly invites all to come out to support the St. George Church Carnival and the good works of the Knights of Columbus (K of C) Council 3928 - including special fundraising effort at the carnival which will support Branford-based East Shoreline Catholic Academy (ESCA).

Now in its 70th year, the five-day carnival opened on Aug. 6 and runs through Saturday, Aug. 10, on the church grounds, 33 Whitfield Street, Guilford. Admission is free, as is parking and a free shuttle service. Those who’d like to lend some financial support to help the K of C help ESCA are encouraged to stop by the K of C 50/50 raffle tent. The raffle is giving away three $1,000 prizes, and half of all 50/50 raffle profits this year are earmarked to assist ESCA facility needs.

“We’re giving half of the proceeds to East Shore Catholic Academy in Branford this year because they’re doing a major HAVC renovation there, and we wanted to support that,” says Nelly.

Located at 62 Cedar Street, ESCA is the inter-parish school of St. John Bosco, Branford, as well as St. George in Guilford and St. Margaret in Madison. In addition to fundraising for ESCA, other proceeds generated by the K of C through the annual carnival assist with ongoing support of Saint George Church.

The carnival features ticketed midway ride bracelets, live entertainment, amazing food, games, and a giant white elephant tag sale. More details can be found on Facebook by searching Saint George Church Carnival.

As carnival chairman, a past grand knight, and a past president of the Saint George Parish Council, Joe thanks everyone who helps to put on the carnival each year.

“We have a number of volunteers, both Knights of Columbus and parishioners, who help out. It’s a busy time before the carnival to set it up, during the carnival, and breaking it all down after it’s over,” says Joe.

Joe joined the Knights about nine years ago and has been chairing the carnival for three years. With its delicious variety of food offered at modest prices, the carnival makes for a great family night out, he says.

“One of the attractions, besides the rides for the kids, is really the food. We’re not raising food prices this year because we know budgets are tight, so you can go out for a nice meal with the family at the carnival. You can get a quarter-pound hamburger for five bucks. A hot dog’s only four dollars.”

The carnival taps into local purveyors of all varieties to create a dizzying menu of tasty offerings which do not skimp on size.

“The number-one attraction for food is the fried dough. It covers a 10-inch plate! For eight dollars, you can’t go wrong,” says Joe.

He also recommends the hot, fresh-cut French fries made with russet potatoes, which cost just $5.

Behind just about every fryer, grill, and pot at the carnival, you’ll find a K of C chef or cook proudly serving up their specialties, together with a number of volunteers providing helpful and happy service to customers. Joe organizes the rotation of volunteers who help out during the five-day event.

“The chefs we have are people that have done it in the past, so we make sure we have those veteran people,” Joe says. “Our guy who heads up the fried dough pizza has been doing it for about 25 years. He has a special ingredient he adds to the sauce to give it a good flavor.”

At Saint George Church, in addition to his service with the Parish Council, Joe’s involvement through the years has included being a Eucharistic Minister and volunteering with groups such as the Welcoming Committee.

The overwhelming support of K of C charitable programs and fundraising efforts, such as the Saint George Carnival, give evidence of the strong ties between parish members and the dedicated members of K of C Council 3928. Joe says the support greatly assists the council with the success of its charitable efforts.

“The church has really phenomenal parishioners. Whenever the Knights ask for support, the parishioners are always behind us,” says Joe. “We couldn’t do it without them. They’re very much supportive of the activities we do, and we appreciate it.”