A family carnival and Pinewood Derby race in Tooele set for this Saturday will also serve as a fund-raiser for a blind toddler.

The fund-raiser will benefit the Eyes for Kenidee fund. One-year-old Kenidee Benton was diagnosed with Optic Nerve Hypoplasia — the leading cause of blindness in young children — when she was 3 months old. Tony and Tenille Benton are trying to raise enough money to take Kenidee to China for an operation that will hopefully return her sight.

The family has already raised $24,000, but are still $10,000 short for the operation.

The carnival, which will run from noon to 4 p.m., will consist of games, food, a Pinewood Derby race and a raffle. In addition, a number of prizes will be awarded.

Participants must pay a $10 entry fee, which will cover their entry, food, and five game tickets, according to Jolene Jolley, who works for Battelle Tooele Operations and is spearheading the fund-raiser.

“My husband and I purchased 90 derby car kits and then sold them to people who wanted to race,” Jolley said. “That way all of the money went straight to Kenidee’s benefit. We only have two kits left, but if anybody wants to bring their own cars they can use derby cars from other places.”

She added anybody can participate and the Cub Scout rules will be followed.

Participants will be divided into three age divisions: 12 and under; 13-17; and 18 and up. Ribbons will be awarded to the first, second and third places in each race, and trophies awarded to the first, second, and third places in each age division.

“We are even thinking about doing a mini car show at the beginning to give some of the ribbons away,” Jolley said.

All of the ribbons and trophies were donated by Mike Gallegos.

Jolley originally got involved with the fund-raiser for Kenidee through Battelle Tooele Operations, where she works with Kenidee’s grandfather, Steve Strickland.

“We have a group called Team Battelle that does service projects for the community,” she said. “We talked about it as a committee and we wanted to help one of our own and somebody in the local community.”

Along with the derby, there will also be a raffle. Tickets will be available for $1 each or six for $5.

Numerous prizes have been donated for the raffle, including a 32-inch flat screen TV, stainless steel barbecue grill, a PSP and kids bikes.

The committee in charge of the fund-raiser is hoping about 500 people show up.

Food will be a sack lunch, consisting of a hot dog, a bag of chips, a water bottle, and a cookie. According to Jolley, the cookies were donated by Nigh Time Donuts and the chips were donated by Frito Lay.

Throughout the event there will also be a number of carnival games available including Jumping Joey’s Bouncers, a fish bowl ping pong toss, a bean bag toss, a balloon pop, a ring toss, and bingo.

“Some people have donated money for prizes, and a lot of people of have spent a lot of time at the dollar store just finding little fun prizes,” Jolley said. “We are having 100 fish donated by Rockstar Pets for the fish bowl toss. We have had a lot of stuff donated and a lot of stuff has been purchased. We have had a lot of support.”

According to Jolley, one man bought five derby kits, and donated the cars to local Cub Scouts and the tickets went to the Tooele Children’s Justice Center.

“People have donated in two ways,” said Jolley. “Some people have donated money so that we can do these things and other people have donated money that went straight to Kenidee.”

Jolley said they are grateful for those in the community who have already donated to this worthy cause.

“We hope that the family can meet their goal,” she said.

The event will take place at the Dow James Memorial Building on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Cost is $5 for entry, food, and game tickets, $10 for derby entry, food, and game tickets, $1 for raffle tickets, and 25 cents for additional game tickets.