or neglected. Being clowns together is now a fun family activity for the Archambaults, with dad Ray Archambault helping out with makeup and costumes although he doesn’t want to be a clown himself. It’s given Heather and Ray a way to show their kids that volunteering is important and can be fun, too. “It’s an easy way, and an enjoyable way, to give back to the community,” explains Heather. “Volunteering doesn’t have to be boring. You can be part of the excitement for people, bring a smile to their faces.” Heather began volunteering as a candy striper at the age of 12, and she never stopped, from being a Big Sister to leading her children’s scout troops. She
latex allergies. Then came the transformation: Heather became “Oops-a-Daisy” the Clown with bright orange hair and a tiny heart nose. She chose her name for several reasons: It’s a phrase she always liked and she found a perfect costume with a big yellow daisy on it. Plus, she wanted to create a clown character who is sort of clumsy. Kayla, now 10, chose “Beanie” as her clown name, a nickname her mom has always called her. And when 7-year-old Tyler became a clown last spring, he picked “Skully” for his name because the fabric he chose for his costume has skulls on it. “It makes me feel good to earn money for kids with autism while entertaining myself and making kids have fun,” said
CLOWN AROUND!
(Above left) Tyler Archambault, aka Skully the Clown,learns how to face paint from his mom, Oops-a-Daisy.
IT'S SERIOUS FAMILY FUN. story and photos
BY
you’re going to be a clown, first you need to come up with a really great clown name. It can be a nickname, something that describes you or just something funny and cute. Then you need to think about what to wear. You can mix & match, make your own costume, go wild with crazily colorful hair or a funky hat. The costume possibilities are wide open. You have to be comfortable with makeup, and come up with your unique face. You might also want to practice a special clown talent – twisting balloons into animals, performing magic tricks, juggling or maybe even learning how to ride a unicycle. But maybe we should back up a minute
If
The Archambault Family of Warren clowns around to help raise money for children in need. Heather, pictured here with her daughter Kayla, says clowning has given her children more confidence.
amy corneliussen because the most important thing is you have to really want to be a clown, to be someone silly who loves to make people happy. Someone like Heather Archambault. She always wanted to be a clown, and her dream came true about two years ago when she and her daughter attended clown school. Now Archambault and her three children get to march in parades, act silly and make people smile, along with the other clowns who make up the Clowning for Kidz Foundation of West Warren, MA. And on top of getting to be a clown and making people happy, the Clowning for Kidz clowns raise money to help children in need, especially kids with autism and kids who have been abused
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wanted to be a Shriners clown, but was told that was open only to men. So when she saw a newspaper ad for a clown class at Clowning for Kidz, she knew it was her chance. Over the next four weeks, she and then-9-year-old Kayla learned clowning basics: makeup, costumes, creating a clown character, balloon animals and general child safety rules, like don’t hand balloons to small children and beware of
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Kayla one recent morning in October, wearing her orange-and-polka-dot clown outfit her mom made and a neon green hairdo. Heather says clowning has given her kids more confidence, strengthening Kayla’s stage presence for dance competitions and giving Tyler a chance to step outside his shyness as a different character. Kayla and her best friend were the first children to become Clowning for Kidz
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