Put on a Happy Face

You didn't think I was kidding when I said I was clowning around. Last Sunday 30 clowns checked into Camp O'Bannon for American Clown Academy. Now, I helped out with ClownTown for 20 years. Some years there we had over 300 clowns come. So thirty was a nice number. The originator of ClownTown started this clown academy for the first time this year.He is a dear friend of mine so I helped him out a little this past week. (topped off with baby watching all week) I didn't get to clown but that was fine. Most of the clowns that attended were beginners. The average age was around 60.......that surprised me. I think maybe because the camp was during the week and maybe they were retired. It was a leap for them to start a brand new camp. Even though it was new the person putting it on wasn't new. The campground was rustic but not that rustic. Sorry I forgot to take photos. No A/C and you had to walk to the showers and bathroom.......very very close though. The cabins were painted in bright colors and kinda looked like a frames. I could have slept there......much better than the scrapbooking place.

The food was wonderful. The camp director and his staff did breakfast and lunch. We are talking eggs, pancakes, bacon and etc. Lunches were nice as well. Dinner was catered in. Most of the clowns complained that they gained weight.

The instructors were master clowns......top world know clowns. They not only taught but each evening one of them would do a show.

(This was a younger clown) They had campfires, popcorn parties, ice cream socials and etc. also at night.

They loaded the clowns up all in costume and went to a church on evening to get experience doing skits and working the crowd.

This one whole family drove to the church from about 2 hours away. The sweet little child in the wagon was disabled and so loved by her family.

I had so much fun just helping. My job was to be friendly and make them feel welcome. Next year I hope that I can attend full time. Not sue if I will drive back and forth or stay over night at the camp. The bathroom trips in the night may not be in my favor.

This clown was probably in her 70's and had MS. None of these pictures are of me. Actually all new clowns to me. At the show on the last night it was so much fun seeing how all the clowns had blended into one HAPPY family. They all had such a good time. That says alot for a first time experience for this academy.

I know some of you are scared of clowns. Real clowns have clown rules and they aren't scary.

Sometimes less makeup is better.

Strange wig but cute. Alot of clowns don't wear their wigs in the summer time. I get so I like my own funky white hair better than my pink wig. But, the wig does make the clown.

This clown was from Texas. I think she is the one I took to the airport yesterday. Had to look twice.

I had my blurry camera with me, sorry. This was Rainbow and he is from North Carolina. He is a famous clown that travels the world. Very down to earth fun guy.

Don't know why she posed like this. Maybe she wants a Pepsi endorsement.

A happy hyper clown, she was like this 24/7.

A very old hobo clown. He was really good.

This is Little Miss Smarty. She is a little shortie clown with a great personality. They were standing in line to eat one day and she told someone something. The person responding that she wasn't going to do anything a little smarty told her to do, hah. She was from Canada.

Two blurry clowns that did a great skit. There were 20 women and 10 men plus instructors. All the instructors were men this year.

Now this clown is a bit scary. She should not have the blue paint on.....that is a no no because of the scary factor. And the rainbow wig.......most times it is not a good idea. Before I went to clown school I had a rainbow wig.

SO you see my friends I was clowning around this week.