ALLEY OFFICERS FOR 2005 - 2006

PRESIDENT:---Mary Ellen"Delight" Sheehan --- 603-772-0029
VICE PRES:--- Alan "Alley-oop" Flagg ------------ 978-454-5991
TREASURER:- Dave "Topper"  Anderson -------- 603-382-4426
SECRETARY:- Barbara "Puzzled"Novak -------   603-926-0558
SGT-AT-ARMS:--- Brian "Nutty" Hills --------------  978-828-6174

Dave worked.  We ate.

It is hard to imagine that a year has gone by and it is time to nominate new alley officers. Speaking of elections, I hope every one returned their ballots to COAI. 
I heard from Judy Johnson that the puppets we sent were a great hit at the 2006 COAI New Orleans convention auction. (It was decided the items that everyone contributed would be auctioned separately not in baskets as originally planned.) I believe Judy told me the puppets brought some outstanding bids, one going for $35.00 and the other two for $45.00 each. The money raised went for hurricane relief.

DELIGHT’s Ringside chat

Hello to Pounds of Clowns, Clown families & friends,

Happy first of May to each of you! Lots of milestones are being made every May. Here is a May memory of mine:

My daughter’s May high school graduation a few years ago was at a private school full of high-pressure families. The parents were all playing for very high stakes. The feeling was that almost all the kids needed to be accepted by Ivy League colleges. The kids were all geared toward meeting impossibly high expectations of their own as well as those of their parents. The facts are simple:  not everyone gets into the school they want. The school’s educators were concerned for the well being of the students as youth and disappointment can often be a deadly combination. So this was it - the school’s last chance to influence the parents and the students. I couldn’t wait to hear what the speakers would say. 

The first speaker, a rabbi, talked about God creating the darkness as well as the light, that darkness had its place for rest and revitalization.  His message followed the theme of this quote: “Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.” The second speaker, a priest, talked about the days when dreams don’t come true, being in fact, just another day.  That is the gift - having another day. Dreams and goals are good to have but find a balance between what we wanted and hoped for and where we are today.  Even if the day is a day of hurt, grief or disappointment, the gift is the day itself and tomorrow will be another day.  

So that is what I have to share this May morning - that I (and you) may become less afraid of the dark and better able to see that the real gift is the day itself.  Remember the 1st of May milestones each clown has crossed!

Food for thought:

 “Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.” Oscar Wilde  
What kind of happiness does your clown character cause?
 “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.”  Victor Borge
Is your clown character bringing people together?

As always, Bump a nose.
Mary “DELIGHT” Sheehan

Links to these Alley  LINKS

If you are interested in magic, balloons, juggling,  or clowning in general, Come on down to Epping
We would love to see you there!