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Months after Katrina hit the gulf coast, Maureen began calling various relief centers and churches, attempting to find a contact who would welcome clowns to come to the area to bring some cheer. No one accepted the offer with words like: "There's no place for you to stay" or "We're too busy to help you out." Then one day in late January, a clown friend called to tell Maureen that a National Clown Convention was being held in New Orleans. Not only did she and several clowns register but one of her phone calls panned out and the Director of Christian Education at Aurora Methodist agreed to help make the contacts for us to clown at the schools that were open. Someone was found to donate the use of audio speakers as well as a banjo for the show. With donations from 2 local Kiwanis clubs and community and church donors, the clowns were ready to head off to New Orleans; first to attend the conference and then to stay on to clown in the schools. Everything had come together beautifully through lots of prayer and community support.

During the first week of April, '06, "OOCHEE" and some of her clown friends headed off to New Orleans. Before Katrina, there were 120 schools in New Orleans. To date, only six schools are open. The clowns had the opportunity to clown at four of the schools, visiting classrooms and performing a clown show called "Making Friends," which was specially written by Maureen. The performance was filled with music, magic, dancing funny antics and lots of audience participation. The children had the opportunity to "let it all out" and did they ever! Explosions of laughter, screaming and clapping filled the air with joy and excitement...just what they needed. . "Making Friends" related to the children as a shy clown was scared and felt like she did not have any friends because she didn't know anybody. During the show, children would yell out encouraging words to the shy clown of "We'll be your friend!" Many hugs were shared afterwards.

During a show for 5th-8th graders, a clown picked several students to come on stage to join the clowns in "performing" the Mardi Gras Mambo. In his excitement, a tall, lean 8th grade boy came charging so fast onto the stage that he nearly knocked over the steps. This young man jived to the music while the audience clapped and cheered. After the show, the principal came up to thank the clowns and went on to say, "That young man who came on stage who nearly knocked over the steps is someone we were not sure we could continue to keep at our school. You wouldn't believe what his life is like right now. But today you gave him a gift; he had center stage and shone! Thank you so very much." For a moment in time, just like every child there, he was able to forget all the stress he is living under and just have some fun.

At one school, the clowns had the opportunity to serve lunch to over 400 children. Most were so memorized by the clowns offering them "a sandwich or a taco?" that they could not make a decision of what they wanted to eat. Personal visits were also made to some individual classrooms, to the delight of the children.

Besides visiting schools, the clowns made a special trip to the Pediatric Ward at Oschner Hospital for Children, bringing miles of smiles to children, staff and parents alike. As one nurse said, "I think the parents needed you clowns even more than the children."

An impromptu visit was spent with preschoolers at Aurora Unite Methodist Church across the street from Alice Harte School, where the clowns performed. They were surprised to see four clowns show up at their playground, but really enjoyed the disappearing bunny trick and other funny antics of the clowns.

Several weeks after returning from New Orleans, some thank-you notes were received from some teachers from Alice Hearte Elementary School. One wrote: "What a great picker-upper. The clown show was such a treat and so very needed. My class took your final song and painted rainbows for our hallway. We are "a rainbow of friends" is the title." Another teacher wrote: "It was wonderful to see our children laugh with abandon. The clowns have really contributed to our students in a positive way." The final "act" of the show portrayed the Native American legend of the rainbow with the message of how much we all need each other to go on amidst the storms in life. Together we can become a rainbow of friends and a sign of hope for the future.

Wherever the clowns went, despite all the devastation, the clowns always brought a smile and most of all, made friends.

Second Trip to New Orleans

Five Yakima, WA clowns returned to New Orleans, April 27-May 6, 2007.  The clowns performed assemblies on “Making Friends” at 8 different elementary schools.  They also brought balloons, noses, bubbles and fun to an after-school community center.  Two children’s centers were also visited bringing lots of smiles to very sick children and their families.  The big hit was leaving behind numerous Polaroid pictures of the clowns with the respective children.  Everyone was blessed.

For fees and scheduling contact:

Maureen Mould, MS
509-452-2296
inspire@maureenmould.org

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