Clowning around

Angelique Flores

FOUNTAIN VALLEY -- You won’t see these clowns under a huge tent, riding

in a crammed car and honking their horns. When they arrive at an

Alzheimer’s home for their monthly gig, their leader pulls into a

handicap parking space.

Volunteer Clowns of Orange County members donate their time and money for

costumes, makeup and balloons, and perform all over the county. Most of

their stops are at hospitals, senior centers, children’s foster homes --

just about anywhere someone is in need of a smile.

“Some of these people never get a visit,” said Bunny Richards of Fountain

Valley, the clown who founded the group more than 10 years ago. “The need

is there.”

On the afternoon of Jan. 15, seven of the clowns helped meet this need at

Sunflower Gardens, an Alzheimer’s home in Santa Ana, where they

celebrated the birthdays of a few residents. They passed out stickers and

balloons to the 50 patients who sat with smiles, watching the clowns sing

favorites like “You Are My Sunshine” and “My Bonnie.”

“It’s warm, like an old-fashioned birthday party,” said Helen Trapp, a

resident at the home who felt the humble production of music, stickers

and heart-shaped balloons was a “gala.”

Some of the residents, like Deno Benadetti, rose from their seats and

merrily sang along and danced with the clowns. Though the performances

are simple, the audiences continually ask them to return.

“It makes you feel like you’re important in their life,” said Kathi Carr,

who becomes “Razzberi” when she dons her clown attire. She came all the

way from San Clemente to perform.

When Richards, 73, started the group, there were six of them. Her

organization now includes 43 clowns.

“I was a waitress, and I always wore funny hats and funny costumes,”

Richards said.

She waited tables at the Pescador in Costa Mesa until it closed in 1989.

When she found herself without a job, she spent time visiting

hospitalized friends from her church while wearing her lighted earrings

and funny hats.

“The Lord sent me in another path,” Richards said.

Realizing the need to entertain the sick and elderly, Richards started

the volunteer clown group.

“Now I’m probably more in clown clothing than in my own clothes,”

Richards said.

The clowns range in age from 30 to 83. Most of the members live in

Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach and Costa Mesa, but the group has

members from all over the county. Two of the clowns are professional, and

they teach the other clowns how to apply their makeup. They put together

their own costumes, using old clothes from their closets or from thrift

stores, or even sewing their own.

“It’s the most meaningful thing I’ve done in my life,” said Bettie

Miller, also known as “Beezy,” of Costa Mesa. “We get smiles out of

everybody, even if it’s only for a moment.”

Richards said she doesn’t know how to say no to any organization that

requests a show. With their motto: “Clowns don’t always have the time,

they just have the heart,” the group is kept busy. They made more than

262 appearances last year.

Richards said she hopes to recruit more clowns this year. She had to turn

down some requests for performances because there weren’t any clowns

available.

“Wherever the need is, we want to go,” Richards said.Richards also hopes

to expand her audience to include children at library story hours,

children of inmates and an outreach street ministry.

The rewards might not be monetary, but that doesn’t bother Denys

Hutchinson, who goes by the clown name “Luvbug.”

“We don’t get paid [money],” the Huntington Beach resident said, “but we

do get paid in many other ways.”

FYI

If you would like information about joining Volunteer Clowns of Orange

County, call Bunny Richards at 968-4918.