LOCAL CLOWNS ROCK THE BOAT

Albany, NY August 7...On October 8, 1970, Public Law 91-443 under the 91st Congress, JJR 26 was passed by both the House and Senate. It was sent to President Richard Nixon for his signature. The joint resolution was signed into law by President Nixon on August 2, 1971. The world has been celebrating clowns ever since. It’s the law! August 1 - 7, 2010 is International Clown Week. The Capital Region's Clowns have been putting on their best smiles and creating laughter all week long.

To cap off the 2010 celebration of International Clown Week, 54 clowns from around the Capital Region and beyond rendezvoused at the dock of the Dutch Apple Cruise Line on lower Broadway in Albany this morning. They met with Mayor Gerald Jennings. In a special ceremony he presented the clowns a proclamation from the City of Albany. At the conclusion of the presentation, the clowns boarded the Dutch Apple II for a 90 minute tour of the scenic and historic Hudson River. They were joined by some very special guests from the Humor Project, The Ronald Mc Donald House, The Smile Monster and the Albany area. On board entertainment was provided by Dyer Switch.

The clowns represented various groups, clubs and allays to include the Battenkill Joeys, the Capital District Clowns, the Capital Region Clown Arts Festival, Clowns of America International, Clowns On Rounds, the Electric City Clowns, International Shrine Clown Association, the NORCO Clowns, Red Nose Response and the World Clown Association. Clowns from as far away as Westport, PA joined in on the fun and festivities.

LOCAL CLOWNS TO CELEBRATE

Albany, NY July 29...On October 8, 1970, Public Law 91-443 under the 91st Congress, JJR 26 was passed by both the House and Senate. It was sent to President Richard Nixon for his signature. The joint resolution was signed into law by President Nixon on August 2, 1971. The world has been celebrating clowns ever since. It’s the law! August 1 - 7, 2010 is International Clown Week. The Capital Region's Clowns are putting on their best smiles.

Proclamations celebrating Clown Week will be presented to the Electric City Clowns on the following dates and times by officials of the city/town indicated: July 30, 9:15 AM, Town of Niskayuna at Avon Crest Park; August 2, 11:00 AM, Town of Colonie at the Colonie Town Hall; August 2, 7 PM, Clifton Park Town Hall; August 3, 10:00 AM, City of Troy; August 3, 11:30, the City of Cohoes at the Cohoes Library; August 3, 2:30 PM, the City of Amsterdam, at the Mayor’s office in City Hall; August 3, 7 PM, Town of Half Moon Town Hall;; August 7, The City of Albany, 9:45 AM at the Dutch Apple Lines, 139 Broadway, Albany; August 11, Town of Rotterdam, 7 PM at the Rotterdam Town Hall.

Additionally, in celebration of International Clown Week, area clowns will be appearing in the Schuylerville’s Turning Pont Parade on August 1. On August 3, clowns will be appearing at National Night Out celebrations across the Capital Region. On Saturday morning, August 7, with the assistance of the Dutch Apple Lines and the Smiles Monster, the clowns will be launching “A Boat Load of Clowns” upon the Hudson River. The public is invited to all of these events and appearances.

LOCAL CLOWNS TO CELEBRATE

Albany, NY July 25...On October 8, 1970, Public Law 91-443 under the 91st Congress, JJR 26 was passed by both the House and Senate. It was sent to President Richard Nixon for his signature. The joint resolution was signed into law by President Nixon on August 2, 1971. It reads…“Whoever has heard the laughter of a child or seen sudden delight on the face of a lonely old man has understood in those brief moments mysteries deeper than love.

All men are indebted to those who bring such moments of quiet splendor-who redeem sickness and pain with joy. All across America good men in putty noses and baggy trousers following a tradition as old as man's need to touch gently the lives of his fellowman, go into orphanages and children's hospitals, homes for the elderly and for the retarded, and give a part of themselves. Today, as always, clowns and the spirit they represent are as vital to the maintenance of our humanity as the builders and the growers and the governors.

In the folklore of the world is the persistent claim that the heart of a clown is sad, and that all the gladness he provokes is simply a facade for the pain he cannot reveal to the world. In the myth is the kernel of reason: the clown leaves happiness where he goes, and takes misery away with him.

Yet we cannot suppose there is real truth in the myth. For surely the laugh-makers are blessed: they heal the heart of the world.

To call public attention to the charitable activities of clowns and the wholesome entertainment they provide for all our citizens, the Congress by a joint resolution approved October 8, 1970 (Public Law 91-433), has requested the President to designate the week of August 1 through August 7, 1971, as International Clown Week.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RICHARD NIXON, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week of August 1 through August 7, 1971, as International Clown Week. I invite the Governors of the States and the appropriate officials of other areas under the United States flag to issue similar proclamations.

I urge the people of the United States recognize the contributions made by clowns in their entertainment at children's hospitals, charitable institutions, for the mentally retarded, and generally helping to lift the spirits and boost the morale of our people.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of August, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred seventy-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred ninety-sixth.”

The world has been celebrating clowns ever since. It’s the law! August 1 - 7, 2010 is International Clown Week.

International Clown Week August 1 - 7, 2010

Clowns of the Capital Region along with thousands of clowns all around the USA will join the in the celebration of International Clown Week from August 1 thru August 7, 2010.

Each clown will be donating some of their time for a good cause in their community. They will be twisting balloons or face painting or just clowning around. Donations to a local non profit or clown’s favorite charity are gladly accepted. It's an opportunity allowing clowns to both showcase the fun and the laughter of the art of clowning as well as to give back to their local community.

"We are all about the smiles and the laughter!" said Marie “Mischief” Beck, the President of Schenectady’s sixty-five member Electric City Clown Alley. “Our clowns donate hundreds of hours worth of time and talent to many charitable events and organizations in the Capital Region each year. Clown Week gives us an opportunity to get out, clown around, share our art form and have some fun being who we are.” The Electric City Clowns have won the International C.H.A.R.L.I.E. Award four times.

Local clowns were seen celebrating International Clown Week in schools, camps, libraries, and hospitals in 2009. They also clowned around in malls, on Capital Region streets, and even in grocery stores...all for fun. Plans for 2010 Capital Region celebration of Clown Week include a Boat Load of Clowns on the morning of August 7, departing on the Dutch Apple Cruise Lines. Prior to cast off, Albany Mayor Jennings will present a proclamation to all of the clowns recognizing them for all the smirks, smiles, grins, giggles, laughter and good will they create throughout the year.

International Clown Week is observed in many countries around the world.

Red Nose Response Elects A New President

Paul “Fuddi-Duddy” Kleinberger, of Loudonville, NY, one of the founding members of the clown arts based response charity in 2005, assumed the presidency of Red Nose Response on July 1. Paul has served RNR most recently as an Advisor, in the past as Treasurer, and Vice President. As President, Paul says his first priority will be to complete the transition from start up non profit to a more mature corporate member in the world of charity/response groups. “The RNR responder corps has grown by leaps and bounds since its founding almost five years ago. More than 750 clowns from all around the world have signed on to help out. RNR has a unique mission to send ‘smiles to the rescue’ in times of catastrophe. We need to make sure that our responders have the training they need, the agency support they desire and that our organization has the foundation needed to carry on its work over the next several years.” Paul, a.k.a. “Fuddi-Duddy”, is well known in the clown community for his ability to get a snicker, a giggle and a laugh while entertaining as well as his capability to present a class and/or workshop on a variety of clown arts subjects. Paul is a past president (2006-2008) of Clowns of America International, former chairman of the Northeast Clown Council (1996 - 2000) and continues to be an active member of several groups and alleys. When he is not out clowning around, Paul manages Smiles Unlimited LLC in Loudonville, New York. Smiles is an award winning family entertainment and celebration enterprise. Founded in 2000 by Paul and Miriam Kleinberger, it’s based on the comic stylings of Fuddi-Duddy the clown, The Fantastical Mr. Fuddi and Dr. Jest Kidding all of whom have been clowning around in the Capital Region since the mid 1990’s. Smiles Unlimited has been recognized often by the business community, honored for its various successes, as well as its continual support of the Capital Region‘s many charitable endeavors.

Schenectady, New York…Bill Hart of Schenectady, New York, who has been performing around the Capital Region and beyond as “Snappy The Clown” for over twenty years, has been designated a 2010 Excellence In Clowning Award recipient by Clowns of America International (COAI). He will be presented his award in Houston, Texas at the COAI Annual Awards Banquet the evening of April 24. Excellence In Clowning is an award that considers the accomplishments of a clown’s career, his or her service to the clown community and volunteer endeavors in the community at large. Bill, who is a customer service supervisor at Southwest Airlines, performed for a number of years as a full time clown after service in the Army and as a nurse for General Electric. He is one of the founding members of Clowns On Rounds, a group who puts humor therapists in area hospitals appearing as pretending physicians and nonsensical nurses. Bill also founded the Electric City Clown Alley, a group of over 60 local clowns who recently celebrated 15 years of humorous service to the Capital Region. Under Bill’s tutelage they have won numerous awards and accolades to include the CHARLIE Award (four times!). Bill is a multi award winner in regional and international make up and clown performance competition categories. He taught the art of clowning at Schenectady County Community College for many years. He has served as a COAI Regional Vice President and currently serves COAI as an International Ambassador, representing the COAI membership to several European countries.