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Red Nose Response
Newsletter
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Editors: Barbara Bird and Arla Albers
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This is the first issue of our next year, the next stage
in the growth of Red Nose Response. We have had an election of officers
for 2009 and both the new president, Bob Gretton, and our founder and
past president, Jeremy Cohen, have a message for you.
Our lead article in this issue is an inspiring story of
what ONE person can do. In this case it's
Matthew "Phineas" Lish who is raising money for Red Nose
Response as his community project for his Bar Mitzvah. What a kid! Read
on....
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Raising $$ and Awareness for RNR
You might remember our story last year about a young boy,
Matthew Lish, of Queens NY, whose school participated in the Penny
Harvest, and how he suggested they donate about $300 to support Red Nose
Response. Many organizations were suggested but, Matthew felt strongly
about the mission of RNR and helped guide the student council to select
it as one of the winners. Now Matthew, better known in clowning as
Phineas the Clown, has gone a big step further. At 11½ years old he is
preparing for his Bar Mitzvah in September 2010. His CHESSED or charity
project is to raise money for Red Nose Response.
He has made sets of three juggling balls (handmade with a
core of rice and a covering of balloon latex), packaged them, and written
instructions on how to juggle. Phineas is selling these with all the
proceeds going to RNR. Phineas was in great demand at Clown City
Jamboree, Feb 5-8, in Mystic CT as many of us bought our first set of
Phineas' Juggling Balls.
Did I tell you that Phineas, besides having remarkable
stage presence, is a juggler of some note? Who better than a juggler to
teach you to juggle?
Matthew is a very good clown, a talented juggler, but more
than that, he is a remarkably fine young man. His parents have guided him
well, led by his father Bruce "Dr. Molar Magic" Lish and the
background support from his mother, Cindy Lish.
This is just one example of how one person is raising
money for Red Nose Response. Does it give you any ideas? Well not
juggling balls... Matthew has that one covered!
It's the power of one.
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This is a personal account of one RNR responder who went
to a Red Cross shelter without the "Grab and Go" bag. I'm the
guilty one, Barb "Sparky" Bird. I learned my lesson. I will
always be prepared from now on.
In December, our area of the Northeast had an ice storm...
one of those that gets us about every twenty years. Many were without
power for 5, 6 and more days. After 40 hours powerless, cold and missing
my coffee I joined my husband as we went to the nearest RC shelter for a
bit of a meal (and a good one at that).
As I registered, I told them I was with Red Nose Response
and that I was available to entertain the kids whenever they needed me. I
was so well received even though I have not taken the shelter training.
What was awful is that I didn't have my "Grab and Go" bag with
me. It was at home. All I had was a roll of stickers in my purse.
I call that a missed opportunity. Don't let that happen to
you.
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The strength of an organization comes from good advice from people who have experience in all aspects of running a "not for profit", who can look at a long range plan and give sage feedback, who have a track record of communicating across a wide spectrum, who know how to fund raise and who are knowledgeable on topics like by-laws and operating procedures and who have background and experience in teaching and providing the type of clowning in times and places of need that we respond to.
To fill in this gap in our knowledge and experience we have begun to create an Advisory Board. This will grow and serve as our mentors and our monitors. The advisers are just that...they advise. They are not voting members of the Board of Directors.
The first two announced members of our Advisory Board are
Teresa Gretton and Paul Kleinberger. We will continue to add members and
share information with you. You can also find their names listed on our
web site.
If you are one of those people who has the background, the
passion and the will to help us as advisers, please let us hear from you.
You can always reach President Bob by emailing him at bob@rednoseresponse.org.
Who We Are
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The last sighting was in Mystic CT
Red Nose Response was permitted to set up a display during the January Jamboree (this year held February 5-8, 2009) conducted by Clown City in Mystic CT. Marion "MLE" Lovig, seen here with Phineas, and Barbara "Sparky" Bird, RNR Vice President, staffed the exhibit.
The table allowed us to
answer many questions about RNR, sell our pins and patches and sign up
new responders. It was wonderful to connect with clowns who are already
responders and hear about their experiences.
Look for us at upcoming
conventions wherever we can get a space. The one-on-one contact is always
a success as we share with clowns just what comic relief is all about.
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Knowing about these can prevent
misunderstandings
The American Red Cross
has somewhat changed how they respond in a disaster. The public had
always understood that the Red Cross set up or opened shelters in areas
where the need is identified.
The change is that
local relief organizations now set up and open shelters. The Red Cross
will then provide the staff and the supplies.
The Red Cross hot line
call centers can direct anyone in need to the nearest shelter, but they
do not register someone to stay in that shelter.
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A message from Bob and one from Jeremy
First, a message from President
Bob Gretton:
"Be
Informed, Be Aware, Be Prepared" That is RNR... Sending
Smiles to the Rescue in times of Disasters. Red Nose Response is your
conduit for information and education. In upcoming issues of the e-zine,
we will be talking about:
- How
an RNR responder can host a Welcome Home Luncheon for returning
Disaster Volunteers.
- How
you can be part of your local Disaster Action Team.
- How
to bring Soft Assistance to people who have been part of a disaster.
- And,
bringing to your community a program called "Don't Clown Around
with Disaster Preparedness"
Next, a message from Past
President, Jeremy Cohen:
Taking my cue from the
U.S. elections, I decided late last year that it was time for fresh ideas
and a new vision for RNR's future. My decision to step down as President
in no way reflected any concern over the state of our organization or any
less desire to see it touch the lives of so many in need. Instead, I
firmly believed that we were at a crossroads.
We have accomplished a
lot, but there is much more to do. We set out on this journey together
after Hurricane Katrina with one simple mission - to bring a little comic
relief to those most in need of it after the unthinkable had occurred.
Over the past three years, we have delivered on that promise and gone
beyond it. We have entertained numerous children in shelters, organized
homecomings for relief workers, raised money and collected goods and even
taught classes on disaster preparedness.
We may have spread
ourselves too thin, but at the time, we didn't want to put boundaries on
helping others. That said, it is now time to focus our efforts in order
to be more effective. I know the new leadership of this organization is
prepared to do so.
For those of you who
have never wavered in your support of our mission and firm belief that we
can make a difference, I thank you. For the others who may think we have
lost our way or believe we have not delivered on our promises, I hope
that beginning today, you will look upon Red Nose Response with fresh
eyes. In either case, I would ask all of you to reach out to the new leadership
and share your questions, concerns and ideas. I know they are hungry for
input and are ready and willing to act upon it.
Once again, from the
bottom of my heart, I can't tell you enough times how honored I feel to
have been able to get to know so many incredible individuals through RNR.
You are more than just clowns. You are truly healers using the most
powerful medicine of all - joy, love and laughter.
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The Next Stage of Our Growth
The Board of Directors held an election Dec 30, 2008 to elect officers for 2009. President and Founder, Jeremy Cohen has agreed to remain on the Board as Past President.
The following are the new officers of Red Nose Response:
President: Bob "Bunky" Gretton
Vice President: Barbara "Sparky" Bird
Secretary: Dianna "Lil Smidgen" Hale
Treasurer: Dr. Robert "Quackee" Cohen
We are pleased and honored to be able to provide
leadership to this young and rapidly growing organization for Sending
Smiles To The Rescue. You will see our mission clearly defined and our
projects blossom. Keep on spreading the word that comic relief in the
time of disaster is a powerful tool to help heal.
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How we spend the funds raised for RNR
A number of responders as well as potential donors have
asked where the money is spent that is raised for Red Nose Response. We
would like to answer that question since it is important and valid.
At this point, we have very little money. We are a service
organization (as opposed to a membership organization) and we do not
collect dues from responders. Most of the services provided by the board
and the officers have been donated. Red Nose Response is a hub of
information and communication for clowns who wish to help when local,
regional and national disasters occur.
We have some expenses, however, to continue our
communication with all of you. Our e-zine and our web site are our
strongest tools to speak to you and to hear from you.
The first and largest is our annual subscription to
Constant Contact, the way we send you the newsletters. Since RNR is a
501(c)(3) not for profit organization we have a discounted rate.
In addition, we have been providing all new responders
with a laminated RNR ID card, which is nice to carry, but doesn't carry
much weight. When we exhaust our current supply we will be giving a
different type of ID card that will be much less costly.
The funds we raise are being used to develop and spread
the education materials that help clowns understand how to clown
in a disaster setting. We have added some pages of the training manual to
our web site. We will continue to upload more for you to download and
share. We are developing the outline for two classes that can be
presented to alleys and at conventions. These are "Disaster
Clowning" and "Don't Clown Around with Disaster
Preparedness."
The money that is raised for Red Nose Response will
continue to go to preparing and training clowns across North America to
respond following a disaster. We provide the "soft" response
after the first responders have come in and shelters are set up and when
people need a respite from the terrible situations they find themselves
in.
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Training is found on
the www.rednoseresponse.org web page under "How to Help", then click
"Training and Education" and now has three documents:
- Code
of Conduct
- How
Do I get Involved-updates
- Client
Behavior
How To Help
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We want to hear from all of you, sharing your interests,
your activities and your questions. Tell us when you spot a need. You are
our eyes and ears.
Bob
Bob Gretton, President
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