Our recent annual Citrus Clowns trip, to clown at the State Capitol building in Tallahassee, Florida, for the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, Ambassadors for Aging Day Celebration, was another most delightful and fun experience. Drum roll, with a happy dance! Ta Da ! We met Governor Crist and had a photo made with him! Ohhh, we`re so lucky ! He is a good sport, to have his photo made with zany, real clowns.

This annual state celebration event brings some of Florida`s Senior Citizens together for a fun filled day of various entertainment by Seniors, especially for Seniors. Corporate sponsors displayed their information and wares with special emphasis for Seniors. A free barbeque lunch was provided for everyone. Governor Crist made a speech, praising the many accomplishments of Seniors, as did other state dignitaries. We are always thrilled to receive the Department`s annual invitation to this event, being the only clowns group in Florida , to be invited and to entertain there. We have been featured in their Elder Update newspaper and on their website, in the past. Also, they have told us, that photos of Citrus Clowns are displayed at the Department of Elder Affairs. Isn`t that thrilling? We think so !

We are honored to represent our fellow Citrus County, Florida Citizens, although unofficially and at our own expense, with no county funding for this overnight trip. A private benefactor, or corporate sponsor, for our trip, would be nice.

The trip is two days, we always leave early in the morning, as it`s 200 miles for the drive to Tallahassee. After we check in the motel, we shop at costume & clowns supplies stores. That`s always a “hoot”, as clowns LOVE these things. Then we see what`s availabe at party stores and vintage clothing shops. Then on to the Senior Center for dinner, entertainment and dancing.

Next morning, we roll out early, for a light breakfast, get in costumed, clown character and go to the Capitol building to perform there for 4 hours, both inside and on the Capitol grounds. People are everywhere, so clowns mingle, pose for photos with Seniors, give out hundreds of stickers, make balloons sculptures, clown around and dance. Even the security police remember us from prior years, and always welcome us back, seems clowns are hard to forget.(Who could forget fun and funny clowns ? )

The long ride back, gets us home about dark for a well deserved rest, tired but HAPPY, with a job well done. The smiling faces of the people in the crowd, whom we entertained, remain with us, as we drift off to sleep........... already planning our next year`s trip.

Clowns on this trip were: Jewels The Clown, (aka Mary K. Hall ) , Sparklelet (aka Sandy Ferrell ), Dr. Yar (aka Ray Thompson), Sunny (aka Vicky Iozzia ) and her puppet boys, Big Sunny and Little Sunny. Our trip is the highlight of clowning for the year and is a reward for the hardest working clowns, who earned it, during the previous year. No, we didn`t have a “tiny clown car”, we went in my big car , and yes, we four clowns made it a fun trip.

(On a truly personal note, this year`s trip was made possible by my darling daughter A- - - - - , and her family, thank you and your family, our clowns thank you all, also ! )

(Added 3/26/09:
A special "Thank You" to Editor Mr. Robby Douglas, for posting the headline article 3/26/09 on this website, about this Citrus Clowns Tallahassee trip.)

Contact information is below, for how to REQUEST CLOWNS for your qualified charitable event, or community benefit event, (no private parties), please. Or, if you think you may have the talent and desire to learn to be a clown and desire information about our Citrus Clowns Training Program, please CONTACT:

Mary K. Hall - Director (aka Jewels The Clown )
Citrus Clowns
P.O. Box 500
Homosassa, FL.
34487-0500
Telephone: (352) 628-3414
email: mhall016@tampabay.rr.com

Citrus Clowns - Citrus County, Florida - Volunteer Clowns (R.S.V.P.)