OGDENSBURG — About 3,500 people visited Ogdensburg Boys and Girls Club Expo last weekend, helping raise funds for the club’s programs.

“We had a great weekend and a big thank you to our vendors, staff, Board of Directors and volunteers for their efforts and all who attended. We are so fortunate to live in a community that cares about the club as well as the youth we serve,” said OBGC Director Tom Luckie.

Lucky projected “$90,000 net, including the raffle tickets.” 

A sloth, dancers, music, food, games, vendors and exhibitors were among the attractions at the  Golden Dome, after a four-year hiatus due to COVID.

One large attraction was a giant inflatable colon that informed attendees of colon health as they walked through it. The exhibit was presented by Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center, now known as North Star Health Alliance.

Lena the Lizard Lady entertained the crowd with her exotic animals, including a sloth she carried as she walked around the dome.

A variety of forty vendors and exhibitors set up tables and displays in the dome. Long lines of people waited for drinks at The Lemon Drop. The Zonta table selling wooden roses and the Girl Scouts selling cookies were also popular.

Several dozen children performed from Julie’s Dance Studio and Ogdensburg Dance Center.

The club has 150 or more kids bused to the club after school and that the place has never been busier, and it now has eight employees to help out, said Luckie.

The club provides educational, recreational, and social skills with its new Preston C. Carlisle Youth Athletic Center, homework assistance, arts and crafts, field trips, summer programs, among other offerings.