Comedy, carnival games and camaraderie will combine at Rainbow's End Youth Services (REYS) when the Mount Joy organization holds two free events as part of its Summer Challenge.

The first event, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 22, will feature comedian Jeff Allen on Facebook Live. "We're envisioning this as a setup sort of like 'The Tonight Show,' with friendly banter back and forth between the host and Jeff Allen," explained Cristina Paden, REYS executive director, who will serve as the host of the virtual event. "He'll share funny stories, we'll talk about the mission of REYS, and it will be a fun, family-friendly night of entertainment."

On Friday, June 25, the nonprofit will host A Taste of REYS Carnival from 5 to 8 p.m., at the center, 105 Fairview St., Mount Joy.

"We'll have lots of fun carnival activities, and people will have a chance to walk through our building and see what we're all about," Paden said. "We'll have pictures and slideshows set up to show what we do here." The carnival will feature free food, including an ice cream truck and french fries from the Mount Joy Rotary Club, as well carnival games.

"We'll have a dunk tank set up, and we'll be dunking the mayor of Mount Joy, as well as other leaders in the community," Paden stated.

Families are encouraged to drop in anytime during the event to enjoy the festivities and learn more about REYS. "We are a Christian youth center, and all of our programming is provided at no cost to the students or their families," Paden said. "We serve students in grades one through 12, and we have daily after-school programs broken up by age." REYS also offers piano and guitar lessons, martial arts lessons, homework help, and spiritual guidance.

The Summer Challenge is being held in place of the organization's annual banquet, which was canceled in 2020 and this year as well due to the pandemic. The Summer Challenge fundraising goal is $30,000.

Although the events are free, donations will be encouraged during Allen's appearance, as well as in person at the carnival. "We'll have laptops here that people can use to make donations, or they can scan a QR code on their phone when they come to the carnival," Paden noted. "We'll also accept checks mailed to our organization."

She added that the carnival is being held concurrently with Fourth Friday in Mount Joy. "This month's theme for Fourth Friday is 'Show the Love,'" she said. "Plan to make an evening out of it and come visit Mount Joy, go shopping, and stop by REYS to share the love with us."

Parking for A Taste of REYS Carnival will be available in limited spaces behind the REYS building as well as in nearby lots. For more information, including parking details, visit https://reys.org/ or search for "Rainbow's End Youth Services" on Facebook.