Clown Storys– First Story What was the reason you chose to be a Smiles Unlimited Clown
June 15, 2008 in Smiles Unlimited
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, serving those in need through the healing power of humor
June 15, 2008 in Smiles Unlimited
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Ben Eastaugh and Chris Sternal-Johnson.
6 comments
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June 15, 2008 at 7:59 am
Jodie
I had always wanted to be a clown. I am not sure why, but now that I have been a Smiles clown for 13 years I know why I stay being a clown.
It is so much fun to be able to put a smile on anyone face. It is such award to be hugs by a small child or an adult, and to have then to say you have changed their day. You know in your heart you are giving love and receiveing love at the same time. On any given day or hour you can be a careing clown or just a fun loving clown or both at the same time.
I am very proud to say I am a Smiles Unlimited clown. I had the best training anyone could have, and it is just like anything else the more you do it the more you learm how to do it. My only regret is that I didn’t get started sooner in life. I would not change my clowning years in for anything else. They have been some of the best years of my life.
When we all get together I feel like we are one big family. Must be why I have only missed one clown chapter meeting in the 13 years I have been clowning. I have been to every Smiles Conference sence I became a clown in 1994. I still clown 3 to 4 time a month.
Hope to see you all at the Indy meeting and at the Smiles Unlimited Comference
Keep those clown noses poping up eveywhere. Love and Hugs Jodie
June 22, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Gabby Giggles
Ever since I was a little girl, I always love being around the elderly folks. I remember my mother used to tell me about when I was between the ages of 2-4 everyone used to call me the Gabage Patch Kid because I wore glasses at nine months old and started wearing hearing aids at the age of three, but I always love helping people no matter what the situation is. Even as a kid I love to entertain people like doing sing alongs, being a model and so forth, but when I got older I decided to do something more special by becoming a smiles unlimited clown in 2001 at the age of sixteen and was the youngest one in my class. Clowning isnt about winning an award, or who gets nominated for the universal, or even an balloon expert it all about giving love to those who need it and puting others first. I only missed one clown meeting in seven years of clowning due to gall bladder operation and about a week and half later after operation i was in the skit composition having a blast. God Bless you all and see you in September!!
June 25, 2008 at 4:56 am
Amanda "OSCAR" Clay
My story isn’t all that unusual, but it is a bit of a shocker to say out loud that I never really liked clowns. I think I had never been around a “good” clown, just the “in your face” types. Then I read the article about SKI in Guideposts magazine. All I remember is the story about the widowed lady in the wheelchair that wouldn’t respond to him until he’d prayed and went back in at our Lord’s prompting and put some music in his boom box, bowed down before her and put out his hand to find her taking it and then sweeping her down the hall in a beautiful waltz. I still get choked up just thinking about that story. I was a new Christian and I had been asking our Lord to show my how he wanted me to serve him. I was in complete shock when he showed me this. And I denied Him for some time, but every time I turned around I was hearing about SKI’s ministry. Not just clowning, but Smiles Unlimited–and I was living in Illinois at the time! Finally, after seeing a segment about SKI on the local news (after moving to Indy) my husband turned to me and said, “The second you see one more thing about this ministry, you are going to call that guy!” The next morning, there was a big article in the Sunday paper about SKI and his upcoming class. I called. SKI wasn’t very encouraging. He said the news and the paper had generated so much interest that there probably wouldn’t be room in the class, but to come on down because if the Lord wanted me there, I’d get in. Sure enough, I got in and I’ve loved it all. I trained with Rusty and JoJo (I’m so sad I won’t get to reminisce with them until we meet in heaven!) and Wazzle and Jammers Ann and so many other wonderful clowns. And now I’m blessed to begin training some here in St. Louis too. It is such a wonder to “birth” new clowns, to watch them evolve and grow into the character that God has chosen for them. And each visit to a nursing home or hospital fills me with such joy and blessing. I’m always amazed and humbled that God allows me to bring such pleasure and blessing to others too through clowning–a talent I never appreciated until I saw it used for God’s glory! And I couldn’t agree with Gabby Giggles more. If clowning was about doing balloons or skits or magic, I wouldn’t be much use. But since its all about loving and listening and hugs, I’m maturing every day. Thank you to everyone who brought me here! May God richly bless each and every clown and every one they visit!
February 22, 2009 at 11:43 am
Peppermint
I lost my husband of 35 years in December, 1995. A few months later, a friend invited me to go the a women’s conference in Detroit. I went. It was all about the Lord’s joy. I felt so much better after that conference, I then knew the importance of laughter. A couple months later, a friend gave me an advertisement about a Smiles Unlimited clown school. Sounds like the Lord, doesn’t it? I went. It has been a wonderful ministry for me. I am growing and changing with each year. I tell people that it is a win-win.
While lifting the hearts of others, I lift my own. God bless all of you as you minister in Jesus name.
May 21, 2009 at 8:18 am
Dave Mueller
Love, yes.
Service, yes.
Commitment, yes.
Entertainment, yes.
Meeting new friends, yes.
But, I became a clown mainly because it is FUN.
I met the 1 year commitment perhaps begrudgingly & with some difficulty in scheduling during the first couple of months. But after that first year, I joined a second Smiles chapter so that I would have more opportunities to clown. Perhaps that was one of the reasons to have the commitment – to have clowning become a routine and vital part of our lives. (How many dozens of clowns have you met that you never see again after their graduation?) If that was one of the unstated intentions, it was successful on me – I’ve been here 16 years.
We’re not the only clowns out there. But Smiles clowns are almost instantly recognizable. I’ve joined other clowning groups and attended national conferences. Almost everytime clowns get together in the midwest, be it at the Indiana State Fair, Red Skelton parade, COAI, fundraiser or activity with the sheriff departments, the 500 parade or festivities, etc. former or inactive clowns quickly recognize the Smiles clowns among us and ask us about clown friends they made years ago when they were being trained. We’ve also heard spectator adults commenting to their kids & grandkids, “Now THESE clowns are REAL clowns.”
Smiles Unlimited has high standards for us. When I coach kids in 4-H classes and Scouts, I stick to these back to basics guidelines.
I seem to be spending more time now as Santa Claus than I do as Peanut Butter, but I can’t imagine my life without clowning and the friends I’ve met along the way. My own family is quite small, but my clowning family is quite large and genuine.
October 12, 2010 at 7:15 am
Ethel Miller
Lost my skits Ski gave me to a fire in 1992, in Indiana. Now am ready to restart in another state. Can anyone help with skits, lines ,jokes, anything? For years,I have participated in parades on occasion. I taught 4 sons to dress and cut up. Can you help me? PS I trained with Ski in Logansport Ind , grad in May 1989. Any old fellow clowns out there? Any smiles unlimited clowns in Texas? Whiteface needs assist.