Eric Becker Wins Bid to be First Rider on the Silver Beach^sm Carousel's Ohio State University Horse

$430 Benefits Lory's Place

Eric Becker will take the first ride on the Silver Beach^sm Carousel’s guest figure, “Buckeye,” when the opening bell sounds at 10 a.m., Feb. 13. The associate servicing specialist at Whirlpool Corporation happened to visit the carousel with friends just before the bidding closed today at noon for the weeklong silent auction. An OSU alumnus, Becker pooled financial help from his work colleagues to place the winning bid of $215. Because the auction money is earmarked to help non-profit organization, Lory’s Place, a Grief Healing and Education Center of Hospice at Home in St. Joseph, Becker’s employer, Whirlpool Corporation matched the bid for a total donation of $430.

The community, especially OSU alumni and fans and Lory’s Place supporters, are encouraged to cheer for Becker as he takes the inaugural ride. The OSU horse is temporarily filling a hole in the carousel lineup while the St. Joseph High School Bear figure is being recarved to provide a larger jumper for the carousel.

SJ offerings get rave reviews

ST. JOSEPH - Seconds after clicking a button, sending riders spinning to the sounds of circus organ music, the Silver Beach carousel's main operator revealed a secret.

"Every time I'd go to an amusement park, and I'd see the operator of a carousel, I'd go, 'That's gotta be a neat job,' and here I am," said Ken Kaszubowski, who shared the honor with Bill Knuth. "I like watching the expressions on everybody's face because there's something about a carousel that makes people smile. It's for everybody, not a select group of people."

That feeling proved widespread Saturday as families from Illinois, mid-Michigan and Southwest Michigan braved blowing snow and bitter cold to get their first look at the carousel's 48 hand-carved, hand-painted figures.

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Published: Sunday, January 3, 2010 1:08 PM EST
By RALPH HEIBUTZKI - H-P Correspondent