Attendees at Thursday night’s SAFE BASE end-of-school/10th birthday celebration were mesmerized by Mark Toland’s feats of magic.
Toland encouraged youths to follow their dreams as he did in becoming a magician.
Toland began performing magic tricks at local libraries and nursing homes when he was 8 and a student at Jefferson Elementary School.
“I bought books about magic and once I performed in public I was hooked,” he said.
Toland spent a year in Los Angeles doing magic for private parties and also performed for the U.S. Marine Corps before the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, at L.A. Lakers games and at the Los Angeles Women’s Tennis Championship.
He recently relocated to Wichita where he has been appearing at college venues and fine arts centers.
“I am hoping that by coming back to Kansas I can build a fan base that will help me work toward my goal of one day appearing on television,” Toland said.
Even though he seldom performs kid shows anymore, he said, “I would never turn down an opportunity to come back to Iola, my home and the place where my magic career began.”
ALSO ENJOYING the attention of the youths Thursday was Clyde, a 3-month-old one-hump dromedary, or Arabian, camel.
Clyde, along with a nanny goat, lambs and baby chicks, vied for the attention of the children.
Clyde’s owner, Becky Robb, explained camels are adaptable to weather changes. His normal body temperature is 97 degrees and he can adjust the temperature up to 10 degrees as weather begins to cool.
Being a baby, Clyde receives a 1/2 gallon bottle of ewe’s milk four times a day. He is thriving in his new home and growing at the rate of one inch a week. When fully grown he will stand 7 to 8 feet at the top of his hump.
“Clyde is so sweet. He is just like a big puppy dog that loves to show off and receive pats and praise,” Robb said.
The evening concluded with a barbecued supper of pulled pork sandwiches and birthday cupcakes.
