Larry Merritt will turn 79 years old at the end of June. Hamlin has been home all his life, the last 50 plus years of it with his wife, Addie. Friends would say he is a quiet, reserved gentleman.

But for Merritt, almost every day has been a carnival.

Paul Seifert, long-time friend and fellow volunteer fireman, said Merritt sees the carnival like no other. "A lot of people think that it's a four-day event," said Seifert. "For a guy like Larry, it's a 365 day event."

Well, actually that's 365 times 49. Merritt stepped down at the end of last year after 49 years as the Hamlin Firemen's Carnival Chairman. Merritt was asked to serve as chairman even before Hamlin had a carnival. The town actually had a field day, which was held at the VFW. The one-day event featured entertainment throughout the day with an evening dance to end the festivities.

Merritt said he believed that Hamlin deserved better.

"I said if I was going to be involved with this event, it was going to have to grow," said Merritt. And grow it did. It quickly jumped from one to four days and to a full-fledged carnival with rides, games, entertainment and something that no other local carnival had - a $1,000 grand prize drawing.

"At that time we were the only carnival to give cash away," said Merritt. "Some of the guys thought it was a bad idea, but it worked. They still do it to this day."

They do and thousands still come out to what has traditionally been one of the larger local carnivals. Merritt said his reward has always been the large turnouts and sunny weather. He's also been able to pick up a few funny stories along the way.

Most vivid in his memory is a parade that took place many years ago that featured a state champion baton twirler. As the parade marched up Lake Road, the twirler performed to the delight of the crowd, tossing the baton higher and higher until he finally struck a power line, leaving the entire area without electricity.

"It's funny now but at the time it was pretty frightening having all those people and no power," said Merritt. (It was funny enough to make Time Magazine and the Los Angeles Times.)

While they couldn't always count on the power, Hamlin could always count on the dependability of Merritt.

Jerry Lemcke, former fire chief, said he has a great deal of respect for Merritt's service to Hamlin.

"Whether he had the time or not he has always been there," said Lemcke. "He always has a nice, pleasant personality and way of doing things." Merritt's attitude has always been positive no matter what those things might be.

"I don't care if it's taking money or peeling potatoes," said Seifert. "Larry is always there to help out."

That's why Seifert was so tickled with his first duty as the president of Hamlin's Volunteer Fire Department in 1992.

Merritt received a call from Seifert to come to the fire hall for the dedication of a stone. Merritt gladly came down although he didn't want to get as dressed up as Addie had asked him to. Once at the hall, Merritt listened to the dedication in honor of a gentleman who had selflessly served the Fire Department.

"Larry was thrilled for Jim Guion, a contractor and former fire chief who had recently remodeled the hall. He was sure the dedication was for him," said Seifert. "Boy was he shocked when it was for him (Merritt) instead." And it wasn't a stone. Instead the Fire Department named the newly-renovated fire hall after Merritt.

"I was absolutely speechless," said Merritt. "I pinched myself to see if it was for real."

Real it was, and fitting, as Merritt and the Hamlin Fire Department are inseparable even to this day. In his post-carnival time, Merritt keeps busy as the treasurer for the Hamlin Exempts and pitches in wherever he can.

Even without his usual carnival duties, this summer is shaping up to be an exciting one. Merritt will soon be celebrating his birthday and on June 12 will enjoy his 53rd wedding anniversary with Addie at his side.

"Nothing could be better," said Merritt. "We've made a great team."