An event to raise money for students will be held Saturday at the Marshalltown Arts and Civic Center (MACC).

The Unity in Our Community committee is bringing back the Because We Care Carnival Fair, and they are adding a car show to the event. Committee member Cindy Soderberg said they wanted to bring something new.

“We thought it might draw a different population of people,” she said. “We want to try to find something that will appeal to everybody.”

Registration for the car show, which will be in the south parking lot of the MACC building, will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and there is no fee. However, Soderberg said owners can enter their vehicles by providing a free-will donation. Because We Care attendees will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite cars, and winners will be declared at 6 p.m.

“We encourage school staff to come vote for their favorite car,” she said.

The carnival portion will be held in the large MACC parking lot. Soderberg said they will bring tables, chairs and a large screen television for the Iowa-Iowa State football game. The carnival was scheduled before the football game, and Soderberg said they knew there would be some competition for people’s time. By making it easier for attendees to watch the game at the event, people will not have to choose.

She said they will present six food trucks on site this year — Clare’s Tenderloins, Sno-2-Go, Taco De La Cruz, JJ’s Smashburger, Kayella’s Indian Tacos and Smokin’ Hog Pit Stop BBQ.

For the kids, there will be plenty to do with four big inflatables to play on. Soderberg said two of the inflatables are large slides, one is an obstacle course and another is a carousel. The carnival games will include a prize wheel, Plinko, ring toss, a duck pond and one to knock down cans. There will also be face tattoos and free helium balloons.

Event proceeds will be used for the same cause as last year — purchasing supplies for Marshalltown schools both public and private, including St. Francis Catholic School and the Marshalltown Christian School. The supplies, such as shampoo, deodorant, feminine products and more, are for the students who do not have them at home.

“We contacted nurses at all the schools for the needed items,” Soderberg said. “The items are not on the back-to-school lists. The requested items will be presented to the nurses.”

Last year, Unity in Our Community raised $4,000 from Because We Care for the supplies.

“We gave hygiene supplies, food items for the [Marshalltown Learning Academy], leggings, socks, underwear, hats, gloves – items that they were in definite need of,” she said.

When committee members delivered totes filled with the requested supplies in January, the school nurses were “ecstatic.”

“They kept telling us how much it fills the needs of the kids in the schools,” Soderberg said.

She hopes the money raised at Because We Care will exceed $4,000, because the committee members would like to give more than they did before. Each carnival ticket will be sold for $2. Soderberg said they will also provide a package of 20 tickets for $30 or a family pass for $60. The food truck owners have been asked to donate part of their proceeds.

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Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.