Page 21 - Boca ViewPointe - May '22
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May 2022                                                      Viewpointe, Page 21























      The Club At Boca Pointe “Performing Scam Troupe”


      Presents An Afternoon Of Entertainment




                                                            The “What’s Up” club welcomes all seniors to enjoy the   recent articles and television
                                                         program! Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at 1:00pm at the Club.  reports of the increase in scams
                                                            The talented players: Harriet Rubin, Arlene Berkwich,   against Seniors has prompted
                                                         Roberta Pfeiffer, Nancy Hirsch, and Ed Swell will   Director  Harriet  Rubin to get
                                                         entertain you, while demonstrating how to avoid “Being   the remaining cast members
                                                         Scammed!”                                         together and help spread the
                                                            From  2006-2014,  this  group  performed all  over   word that Seniors need to be
         After several years of retirement, this wonderful   South Florida, entertaining over 3,000 seniors at various   cautious and mindful of the current problems. We are
      performing troupe will delight members and guests with   clubs and venues. As a non-profit they donated well   hoping to have an officer from the Sheriffs Department
      skits showing how easy it is to “Scam Seniors”!    over $10,000 to charities supported by the cast. The   for a Q&A after the performance. 
       Clowns On Call




      By Harriet Rubin,                                     The biggest event we have attended in 2 years was
      aka Florabelle the Clown                           at the YMCA for a special outdoor event on April 9th,
                                                         YMCA Healthy Kids Day. We spent 3 of the busiest
         Spring has Sprung!                              hours in the history of our 7 years of clowning! Cutie
      Florida always looks like                          Pie, J.J. and even Juggles made balloons for over 300
      spring, but this year, as                          kids. Twinkle Toes and I face painted with stencils and
      life has started to return to                      we have never been that busy. We had long lines for both
      normal, everything looks                           activities, and consequently we all tried to go as fast as
      more beautiful!                                    possible to accommodate those waiting. Parents and kids
         I am so sorry to have to                        were very co-operative and it was a great big party! We
      share some sad news. One of                        actually ran out of balloons and that’s a first! Over 1,500
      our original dedicated clowns passed away in April. Many   people attended. You can imagine how tired we were at
      of you knew “Perky” aka Barbara Gaynor. She was a kind,   12:30, but we had another event to attend! We went to
      compassionate clown, funny but subtle, always anxious to   Florence Fuller West, and entertained another 100 kids
      please and bring a smile to those around her. She reminded   and families, inside, after having a lunch break. Wow,
      me of Emmett Kelly, a famous tramp clown with sad eyes   that was some day!!!
      and a kind heart, demonstrating true pathos for a clown. In      Now for some exciting news! The Club is planning   Cutie Pie, Twinkle Toes, Florabelle, JJ, Candy Bar and
      fact, I created a skit in our “Wiggles and Giggles” show for   to have a 4 week Day Camp during June, and we have   Juggles with Hawaiian Dancers at The Hab Center
      her, just because I knew she would be able to create that sad,   volunteered to teach clowning to the kids, ages 7-12.
      trusting, naive look needed to make the character believable.   Since this is one of my very special clowning activities,
      For those of you who’ve never seen “Ice Fishing”, it’s done   and one I haven’t been able to enjoy for over 10 years, I
      primarily in pantomime, and the facial expressions and   am thrilled to share the joy of turning kids into clowns!
      body language convey the story. Perky hadn’t been well for      Many of you might think- “Why would kids want to
      some time, but she still came to a few of the sparse events   learn to be “clowns?” and “What can a kid get out of
      we had over the past year. She came equipped with her   clown training or exposure to Clowning?”
      oxygen tank and her wonderful aide, Susan, who became      Well, I’m going to share some of my experiences and
      one of us. Thank you Susan for making her life fuller and   knowledge with all of you. First of all, Florabelle (that’s
      ours as well! Rest in Peace Perky. We will all miss you!   me) has taught over 200 kids in her 27 year clowning
      Her family requested we come in red nose regalia for her   career. Ages range from 8-16. I’ve run programs at
      beautiful Memorial Service, which in the clown world is a   overnight camps in Pennsylvania, day camps in New
      way showing respect and devotion to a fellow clown.  Jersey, and at Hillel and Donna Klein here in Boca. How
         We had our 1st repeat Red Nose Reader event for 3-4   does clown training compare to the usual activities offered
      year olds at the YMCA. After the initial visit, when we   at any camp? Well first of all it is Not Competitive. It’s not
      apply our makeup and costume, and turn into a clown,   physical, nor intellectual. It doesn’t require special skills
      right in front of the kids, Cutie PIe and I were already   or aptitudes. It is a relaxing, fun time experience with
      in clown make-up and costume when we entered the   lots of laughter and self-expression. “Jr. Joeys” as young   Cutie Pie and Florabelle at the YMCA Pre-school class
      classroom. We had 32 of the cutest kids to entertain, and   clowns are called, traditionally find they can be different
      we all had the best time. Cutie Pie and I agreed we have   than they usually are. Something magical happens when   our clown show, how shocked she was with the changes
      never performed before such a well-behaved group of   they put on a little make-up, add a red nose and maybe a   she observed. I stayed in touch with the family for a few
      little ones. They were so absorbed by our Easter Bunny   wig, and move around the room walking like an elephant,   years, and according to her mother, the training had a long
      story, songs, activities, magic etc. and we came away   or a duck, or a chicken, portraying how their faces would   term positive effect. I was not surprised, as confidence
      really thrilled with the success of the program! We have   look during joy, wonder, teasing, etc. They learn in a   goes a long way!
      another session with the 4-5 yr. olds on April 27. We hope   relatively short time how to convey feelings through body      So what will the kids learn? A little of a lot of things,
      to start Red Nose Readers on a regular basis with both   movements and facial expressions, and nobody criticizes   including : applying simple clown make-up, twisting
      Florence Fuller centers in May or June.            them for anything they try to portray. We learn new voices   balloons into a dog, or a hat; juggling 3 scarfs or more if
         Our event at “The Hab Center” went over well. There   which also changes their persona. Of course, some kids   they practice, simple magic tricks they can do at home,
      were only handful of children present so our face painting   will master these skills more rapidly than others, but   simple clown skits they can perform for friends, playing
      and balloon making was slow; however, Candy Bar doing   everyone has a great time trying. It’s different than an   songs on a kazoo, and lots of other “shticks” a clown
      walk -a -round magic was very successful, and Juggles   acting class! Again, there is no competition to be better   uses. If all goes well, we plan to have a kids version of
      always does well with                              than someone else. We are not trying out for parts in a   our “Wiggles and Giggles” show at the end of
      his juggling expertise!                            play or production, just developing our own personality   the sessions!
      J.J. walked around and                             and letting it emerge. I have seen the shyest kids turn into      Look for further Camp information
      interacted  with the                               extroverts with improved confidence as a result of clown   from The Club at Boca Pointe. I’d be
      crowds in his special                              training. Interestingly enough, the typical “class clown”   happy to speak to anyone who has
      way. Cutie Pie always                              often does not make the best clown! As an example, one   questions about the Clown program.
      is a hit! We received                              of the teens in my class was very awkward, nervous and      Well, that’s all for now and
      a lot of compliments                               uncomfortable during the first 2 sessions of clowning.   remember to wave when you see us
      and thanks for our                                 After she found a “look” with applying her make-up, her   driving through property!  We are
      volunteering to                                    personality changed tremendously. Her mother told me   Back!!! 
      entertain.           Perky aka Barbara Gaynor      after the sessions were completed and she performed in
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