It was cool. It was awesome. It was fun.

These were the words children attending the Make-A-Wish carnival event used to describe what they had just participated in. They didn’t need a large vocabulary to get the point across that they had a great time.

From bounce houses and climbing walls to face painting and games, it was an afternoon of entertainment at the carnival. And what’s better? All the money raised was for a good cause.

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More than 200 people attended the annual Make-A-Wish Carnival at the Rock Springs Civic Center Saturday.

According to Annika Syvrud, Rock Springs High School senior, Student Body President and Make-A-Wish event organizer, the success of the event was a pleasant surprise.

“We had way more than we had last year,” Syvrud said. “Last year, it was much less successful.”

She said her dad, JJ Syvrud, is the Civic Center’s supervisor and she has helped him host events like this in the past. This experience really helped her when it came to planning this year’s carnival.

Syvrud said one change she made this year was the addition of the bounce houses, a total of four were at this year’s event.

It paid off. Kids were lined up in rows waiting patiently for their turn.

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When children were not bouncing around, they were playing ring toss, trying their skills at the bean bag toss or having their faces painted. Children also had the opportunity to purchase snacks and water.

“We always do as much as we can,” she said.

Her favorite part of the event is watching the kids enjoy the carnival.

While children were playing, residents had a chance to purchase raffle tickets for the Make-A-Wish baskets. This year, more than 40 were donated to the cause.

All of this is for the purpose of raising as much money as possible for Make-A-Wish. This wouldn’t be possible without the continued support of the community.