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April 27, 2006
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Where ministry is a laughing matter |
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Clowns see the sacred in smiles |
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Members of the St. Paul the Apostle Parish clown ministry pose for a photo. Parishioners dress up in clown costumes and make visits to area hospitals and nursing homes. (Submitted photo) |
RACINE — Mixing greasepaint with the Gospel, the Racine octogenarian dons a colorful wig, a red nose, and a cross on her lapel.
She hands out balloon sculptures, carries a puppet named Harry, and shares her faith and love for others during bi-monthly visits to St. Mary’s Hospital in Racine.
Virginia Seitz, who goes by the name “Jingles,” is part of a clown ministry based out of St. Paul the Apostle Church in Racine.
“Our large clown club started about 10 years ago,” she said. “Then three of us, Virginia “Birdie” Carpenter, Kay “Twinkle Toes” Leissner and myself began visiting the hospital in addition to the other clowning events we did as a group.”
The “Three Musketeers,” as they were known, clowned in the hospital for about five years until Seitz had a stroke last year. Carpenter and Leissner continued the visits while Seitz was recuperating. Then Carpenter died.
“Now Kay and Jean (“Starella” Stardy) are waiting for me to come back with them,” Seitz said. “I told them to go on without me, but they want to wait for me and I haven’t gotten the OK to do anything strenuous yet, but I hope to within the next month or so.”
The clown ministry began in 1997 after Pam “Gabby” Klemm and a friend, also interested in clowning, saw a newspaper article about a retired circus clown who was offering clowning lessons.
Klemm felt that a group of Christian clowns could provide comfort to those who might be left out of ordinary activities and functions. Primarily, the clowns focused on nursing homes, hospitals, and homeless shelters.
Although on a temporary sabbatical, the group is available for some outside events, such as a few face-painting benefits, and the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. According to current leader, Laura “Sunshine” Fell, the group is resting while they pursue other church ministries, and have been less active since 2004.
“We are actually looking for someone to take over leadership as I have quite a few commitments with my family and other ministries that we do,” she said. “Because we haven’t had much luck in recruiting new members or a leader, we’ve had to take a little break.”
Although the group of entertainers has enjoyed performing, their faith is no laughing matter. Laughing is just their special way of sharing with others.
“By donning a clown costume, complete with make-up and funny hair, we are able to bring healing to others through laughter, listening, interaction, and fun,” Fell said. “We have done a variety of activities in our clown ministry.”
Often calling themselves the “Caring Clowns,” they wanted to show the individuals in society’s often forgotten groups that they were valuable. Whether it was a musical performance or simply individual contact with those in nursing homes, assisted living centers, or hospitals, the message was clear — clowns care.
“We always left everyone with a sticker when we left,” Fell said. “My favorite was “Clowns are Angels with Red Noses.” For Klemm, satisfaction came in providing hope to the smallest of the world.
“We would clown in homeless shelters and hand out foam red clown noses to the children there,” she said. “Just being able to keep those noses allowed the healing process to continue long after we were gone.”
The monthly events kept the group in contact with those most in need of a bit of cheer, and allowed those going through a rough time to experience a bit of a break.
“Our goal has always been to share our faith by bringing sunshine and healing to others in need,” Fell said. “I even clowned with my daughter, Madeline, who was 4 years old when we started. The people responded even more to her since she was a child plus a clown. They were always attracted to her red sparkly shoes that matched her clown name “Sparkles.” They would always reach out and touch her and ask for hugs.”
For Seitz, clowning is a time to bring out the goofy gadgets, tell a few jokes, and, hopefully, brighten someone’s day.
“I usually knocked on the door (of a hospital room) and asked if someone wanted a visit from a clown,” she said. “If they said ‘no,’ we’d tell them to have a happy day; but if they said ‘yes,’ we’d stop by and visit, for about eight or 10 minutes. It’s also a good time to get back at the doctors; I’d usually get very brave and joke with them.”
While many of the visits are happy, some are difficult. Seitz recalls many times that she would go down for a break in the cafeteria or drive home and have a good cry.
“One time, we went in to visit a little boy who was so very sick,” she said. “He brightened up so much when we came and the parents begged us to come back the next day. Of course, we weren’t able to go the next day, but we went the next week and knocked on his door. There was no answer, so I opened the door and saw the empty bed; I just cried. But then I was so happy that we were able to make him laugh for a few moments before he died.”
Oftentimes when the clowns would visit a nursing home, patients might perk up and remember times in their childhood when they were touched by the presence of a clown.
“We were at a nursing home one time, and a nurse came up to me and told me to turn around to see this patient walking and almost running toward me,” Fell said. “The nurse told me that this woman had not been out of her room in weeks, but when she heard that a clown was at the home, she practically ran down everyone in the hall to come and visit. I shook her hand and hugged her, and that was all it took to make her day. And you can imagine, it made mine as well.”
Along with entertaining, the clowns shared their faith and often included Christian songs in their performances — anything to fulfill the greatest need at the time.
“For the short time you are with someone as a clown, you can make them forget their aches and pains, their loneliness and just let them smile and enjoy life,” Fell said. “Some people would talk to us about their memories and families when they would see us — others would tell us the sadness and loneliness in their lives. Still others would just sit and hold our hand. As a clown, we could be there for them and fulfill whatever needs they had at the moment — and we often would pray with people that we would visit.”
Klemm agreed and added that many times their ministry was not solely for the patients, but for the family.
“The hard part as a caring clown is maintaining your own composure and persona in tough emotional situations,” she said. “I have cried all the way home after some clowning events.” |
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