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The dominant trade organization up until the 1930's was the Showmen League of America based out of Chicago. The carnival and
fair industry grew so big and so fast on the East coast that George A. Hamid Sr. thought the East coast should have the same
type trade organization as in Chicago. The initials of the National Showmen's Association, NSA, is a play on initials from
the SLA. The NSA's big event at that time was a Thanksgiving Eve banquet at the Commodore Hotel in New York City.
The NSA's charity division was known as the Sunshine Fund. Elizabeth (Bess) Hamid, George A. Hamid, Sr.'s wife, was Chairwoman.
Her grandson, James M. Hamid Sr., recalls that she would strong-arm any performer who worked for any of the Hamid enterprises
into donating money to the Sunshine Fund. Because of this, she became known as "Sunshine Bess".
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