Good afternoon everyone! Thank you so much for our clown pictures of yesterday.  Nice meeting Karen and Grace.  It was an awesome time seeing the residents all smiling and joyful! I felt the same ?❤️.  Joye, thank you for taking us under your wing for a while.  You are a great teacher!  ~Smilee

Sharing the smiles

Thanks for the pictures.   They were a lot clearer than my shots from  my cell.

We all felt the smile in our hearts as we gave our smiles to others.

Karen was influential in making me return to clowning.  I have her to thank.

I noticed that even if it was not much, the patients just enjoyed our presence as clowns and our cheerfulness.

You are great and more.  God bless you for all you do for others.  ~Buff

 

Hello Grace,
Thank you for being such an important part of our clowning yesterday.  I love clowning at our community ALF’s.  Your comment says what I try my best to teach:
“I noticed that even if it was not much, the patients just enjoyed our presence as clowns and our cheerfulness.”
It’s not the makeup, the costume, the wig, our magic or sight gags, it’s our presence!   It’s engaging them in play!  It was magical to have Rainbow play her ukulele and having us join her in song.  It’s all about having fun!  Do you recall me saying that in class?  That’s why I read the page from “The Velvet Rabbit” about being real.  You experienced what I was trying to convey.  I appreciate this feedback more than words can say.  I am grateful for Karen  influencing you to join us.  All clowning is special.  This is what I love – making those smiles, shining eyes and playing with the elders.  This is what a caring clown does. I am copying Karen & Nancy on this because each of you made yesterday afternoon so magical and memorable. I want them to know as well.  We were a bit distracted due to the tornado warning and the feel to get home yesterday.  I wanted to debrief more.  However after 18 years of doing clown rounds with the delightful caring clowns in our alley, I realize sometimes, it takes overnight for the full realization to settle in.
What a team we made yesterday – 4 clowns who had never clowned together and we created magic!  Thank you all!
With gratitude and a smile~,
Joye “Ting” Swisher