" Families have gathered at the fair for generations and continue to gather to be entertained, to showcase their projects, to compete and to learn.


You forgot ripped off by the carnies, remember the basketball hoops that are smaller than the basketballs. "

" Coles county fair,isn't that the place where the sheriffs dept makes their annual outstanding warrant round-up?lol "

" medic, why are you always such a Debbie Downer? "

" whose idea of affordable are we talking? lets see here, if my husband and i decide to go one evening....$4 to get in, $1 to park...$20 for the grandstand (i like the demo derby best)...so we're @ $25 already...and god forbid either of us are hungry, there goes another $20 for fair food. so we're up to $45 and that's just with two of us. i can't imagine how expensive it would be for a couple with kids because then you get to add in the cost of the rides. "

" Coles county fair,isn't that the place where the sheriffs dept makes their annual outstanding warrant round-up?lol "

Yup!

That and the beer tent at Bagelfest... "

" The word "affordable" made me laugh. We take our kids to the bracelet night every year and still plop down about $100 that night with a snack or two, a couple armbands and parking. We can't afford to go to any of the events. However, somehow I always see some of Charleston's finest who require taxpayers assistance to buy their groceries but can go to the fair night after night after... "

" charlestonmamma,In case I don't get to thank you in person I'll thank you now for buying my families grocieries, so I can take my little kids to the fair to ride the ponies,since your'e there everynight spending 100's of dollars I guess you can afford to help the less fortunate buy groceries.By the way I'll be the dirty guy walking around with 3 small dity children looking for their mother,who ran off with one of those carnival workers last yr.Thank you. "

" Stranger, charlestonmama's post has gone right over your head.

Why am I not surprised.

Please read it again, only this time, remove the crud from your eyes beforehand. "

" There you go again always trying to hurt peoples feelings with your senile remarks,I think maybe my post went over your old head. "

" charlestonmama wrote on Jul 27, 2009 1:09 PM:

"We take our kids to the bracelet night every year and still plop down about $100 that night with a snack or two, a couple armbands and parking."

.......

STRANGER wrote on Jul 27, 2009 3:01 PM:

"since your'e there everynight spending 100's of dollars"

.......

Funny, I don't see where it says she spends hundreds of dollars every night.

Sranger, perhaps you ought to chalk up a little more on your reading skills. Perhaps it's you who should have ran off with the carny. "

" stranger, if you think Rotty's a mean one, you're in for a rude awakening. he's one of the nicest, most civil and funniest one on here.

all he was pointing out was that charlestonmama said they go to the fair ONE NIGHT (bracelet night) and spend $100. Not that they go "every night, spending $100's of dollars" like you claimed in your post. "

" I don't consider it affordable when I took my kids to Six Flags in St. Louis this summer and only spent $100.00 and I spent $60.00 on Monday night at the fair.......and my kid's didn't even eat. "

" Pj,then how would momma know that the people getting taxpayers money go night after night after...? "

" the fair could be nice but lets face it, it is a breeding ground for fights, trouble, being ripped off horribly, watching teens split to pursue a life of carnival work simply because the job comes with free drugs and alcohol and no parental interruption, it is bull really, Charleston would do itself a favor by establishing an "affordable" carnival that perhaps lasts year round minus winter and is ran by local people, purchase some rides Charleston and get back to your airport fence later "

" Thanks pj, ya not too bad yaself.

Rats, the secret is out!
LOL! "

" STRANGER:
Please allow me to share my opinion why your post angers so many people. I sympathize with the loss of your wife and the mother of your children. My husband abandoned us and it is one of the most traumatic experinces a family could endure. The impact it causes both emotionally and financially can be devastating, and the adjustment of suddenly becoming a single parent seems almost impossible at times. One thing I want to point out to you is-no matter what our spouses decisions are WE still have a promise to our children to do what it takes to provide for them. The key word is WE not other adults/taxpayers. Before you get defensive-hear me out, please. I'm not judging you for depending on public assistance because I don't know your situation in it's entirety. Maybe you have physcial/mental challenges that prohibit you from working the job/jobs needed to provide for you family. If not, then I would challenge you to set a goal of indepency from govt assistance. A challenge to leave as sense of pride in yourself and your children, in the knowlege that despite adversity their father did what it took to provide for them on his own. I'm sure you would never stand on the street asking complete strangers for money in front of your children right? Of course not, that would be humiliating to yourself and your children, especially in your own community. You sound like the type of father that cares about the happiness of his children since you mention taking them the fair to ride the ponies. Alot of father's don't care to spend time with their children so hats off to you for wanting to provide those happy memories for them. However, the same people, tax paying people, that you would have to stand on the street and ask for a handout, ARE the same people that provides for your family-just in a private way. We all struggle, I can speak from personal experience. That is the price, and also the freedom of becoming an adult and deciding to have children. Things were tight and alot of sacrifices on my own behalf had to be made-but you know what? My daughter never knew it. I NEVER shared with my child that we were considered low income. I worked hard and did what it took without the help of public assistance, and it is something that I feel proud about. If there was a special upcoming event, I scheduled enough in advance to set aside small weekly amounts so we could attend. Another, way I gave my child the experience of looking forward to something like other kids got to, was making up games where we would accomplish different tasks together which would allow us to contribute to the "fun jar" so we could do something we wanted that required money. The majority of activities we did was from checking the newspaper to see what local "free" events were going on. An example of that was the library puts on a free life size puppet show every year at the park, and boy you would have thought the president was coming to town! My child just loved that, and it was free! My point is-it can be done, without being a drain on our community. I encourage you to keep being a great dad, recognize your capabilities & set some goals to become independent from assistance. Your children will look up to you and feel proud that you were their father. You will also reap the benefit of the feeling of pride for being the man and father you are and that you did it on your own.
Keep your chin up! :) "

" Um Pumpkin.....I think that stranger was being sarcastic in his post! But Kudos to you for you are doing with your family! "

" why not ask her that, STRANGER? i was merely pointing out what her post said. It could be tha she has a job and deals with a lot of the people on public aid, it could be that on her family's one night @ the fair she overheard some of them saying they've been there everynight. i don't know because i didn't say it. "

" Thank you punkinseed,your kind post has restored my faith in humanity. I will look for a job tomorrow.....at the fair. "

" Oh-happymom, I didn't realize. I thought he was really saying...oh well...I was being sincere at least :)
(Now my cheeks are red) "

" You're a-ok, PumpkinSeed. Your helpful & informative posts are top-notch, in my opinion!

Welcome to the merry little land of misfits, the potholes we encounter, & the fun to be had by all.
LOL!

Welcome aboard!
~Rotty "

" Btw, don't forget to "Bookmark" or place your fav threads links in your "Favorites". These threads get rushed off to the Archive wastelands, in due time, & alot of posting does continue "behind the scenes", for a period of time. "

" Okie-dokie, thanks for the compliment AND the tip! *wink "

" Yes, P.J. nailed it. I work at an agency where people come asking for help yet they have a cigarette hanging out of their mouth, smell of alcohol, have purchased multiple tattoos, are "too good" to work at a fast food joint and "had" to take their kids to the fair a few times. "

" pj1983,after reading Rockin Rottys posts I apologize,he is cool and has a better sense of humor then U. U seem dry and to intense at times.But U guys did make my face red and thats what happens when we get called on our shtuff.I dont want know one mad at me here cause this sight is awsome & i acn learn neet stuff on hear.so im sorry 4 my - coments.Peace out. "

" I took own smaller basketball to the fair. Carnies were appalled but I made all the baskets. Also learned how to tell the correct ROPE to pull and win big prizes. It wasn't hard to figure it out. I remember when had the girlie shows at the fair with the zit bodied lower class not pretty females. SOME were the same ones dancing topless in Adams Rib in Mattoon on Broadway.

I just liked going to fair for the elephant ears, sandwiches, fries, lemon shakeups, and buy large box of taffy.
My kids ate and nearly throwup then when on the rides, so they learned not to ride right after the food.
We went when had the stamp day all could ride for less money.

I dated a CARNE,,,,,just for fun.
My parents would have died knowing that.
But I wasn't PURE as driven snow either.
But not a bad bad girl either. I was just in training. Some of the fellas are good looking and cleaner than others. I actually learned more lessons of love with the cop dated.

I have memories now since old to enjoy.
Some are laughable now, others sad, but I lived and hard a good time. "

" What gets me is the ones going for food stamps and cash help in Charleston, wearing designers, in new cars, (and not borrowed cars either.) One person drove a Corvette and low and behold, FOOD STAMPS ON THE SPOT AND CASH MONEY.
Manicure and fake nails, toes showing pedicures. While the poor needing some cash for utilities and stamps for FOOD.
That was like when we had the RATIONS
Some were cheaters on that, then take the cheese and foods, sell in rummage sale. oh yes, saw all those tattoos on the poor moneyless persons. AND that took food out of mouth of their kids no doubt. I am not against TATTOOS nor having a beer, but excessiveness is what happens. I know family with 22 kids and on public aid and now they needed to be SPADE AND NEUTERED. hehe.
If able do all that LABOR be able to work at a job you would think.

I could never work at the charleston office, and keep my mouth shut. *SMILE.


I wasn't there for food stamps/money but took friend in need there. I listened to some of the conversations while waiting for person as these people talked about their private lives and WE ALL KNEW THE WHOLE STORY. "