HOISINGTON — For those who like playing dirty, in the mud that is, the Hoisington Labor Day clown committee will hold a co-ed mud volleyball fundraiser on June 16 at the 4-H grounds between Great Bend and Hoisington.
“We were wanting to get the younger community members involved,” said Shelli Stoss, volleyball chairperson. “Mud volleyball is like playing regular volleyball. It’s a good, fun time.”
The rules will be like normal volleyball, playing to 21 points. The cost is $60 per team of up to eight. Each team must have an equal number of females with a guarantee of two games. Team members must be 18 years old.
Stoss said to bring a towel and clean clothes. There will be hoses to spray off the mud.
The proceeds will be used to purchase toys and candy for kids given by the clowns during the Labor Day parade. There are 40 clown volunteers who walk, or ride during the parade. All proceeds will benefit the toy and candy fund.
Clowning around is a family tradition for the Stoss’. Shelli’s grandmother Darlene is a clown, and this year, Shelli’s daughter who is 2 and 1/2 years old will also be a clown.
“I like to see the look on the kid’s faces,” said Shelli for the reason she dresses up each Labor Day. “We enjoy it .”
Not only do they spread joy with the clowns, Darlene also collects used bikes to take to Ellsworth to be refurbished. She brings back 10-15 bikes, and 10 or so lucky children are chosen to pick out a bike.
“My grandma Stoss has the biggest heart,” said Shelli.
The Labor Day event involves the entire Stoss family. Family members come from as far away as Texas to be clowns for Labor Day. Members of the family also participate in the demolition derby.
Darlene also holds other fundraisers for the clown committee fund such as a hobo dinner. They would like the mud volleyball event to become an annual event.
Eleven businesses in Hoisington are sponsoring the event. For more information, email Stoss at sstoss@hotmail.com.