It was hard to tell who was having the best time at Colony Cottage Recreation Center Wednesday morning — the colorful Clown Alley #179 volunteers, the kids or the grandparents. There was upbeat pandemonium at the Recreation Department’s Camp Villages ‘Under Sea Circus’ event as dozens of clowns, about fifty children, plus assorted grandparents, aunts and uncles milled about various games and crafts.
There were many types of games, all with prizes, manned by clowns; face painting, magic tricks, sticker p rojects, balloon twisting and even a brightly decked out photo booth — all located around the expanded rec center meeting rooms. Lively background music and the giggles and squeals of the kids made for a loud and happy sound. Pam Henry and her recreation staff made sure the participants were checked in and kept things moving smoothly.
“This event is just another way for us to give back to our own community,” clown volunteer Alene Kraus (a/k/a Rufflez) said. “We all live and play here, and enjoy seeing our neighbors and their families having fun too.”
Villager Mike Ryan as “Mr. Kluck” and Santiago resident, George Cedjafer as Mr. Klutzy, had a line of youngsters waiting to play at their game station. Ryan’s farm-style outfit, covered with chicken pictures, was reminiscent of his high school years spent as a chicken farmer. Fernandina resident Jane Frost’s granddaughter, Carleigh Frost, 6, visiting from Bowling Green, Kentucky, was patiently having dolphins painted on her face by Bumbles the clown (a/k/a Pat Phillips from the Village of Largo).
Bonita resident John Ranc was teaching his grandson, Jackson Ince, how to roar — to match his ‘really cool’ painted tiger face. Rose Gragson of Buttonwood, was watching her great-granddaughter, Nalani Powell, win repeatedly at a colorful tossing game run by Rufflez (Alene Kraus) and Birdie (the alter ego of T all Trees resident, Barb Martin). Gragson was happy Nalani’s family had recently moved to Lady Lake from Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Kendal Dieleman, granddaughter of Amelia resident Johnna Dieleman, was posing amid balloons and foil striping with a clown named HopScotch (Glenbrook resident, Janet Comesky) at a fancy photo booth.
Another Clowning Around event is planned by Camp Villages on July 9, this time at La Hacienda Rec Center. Camp Villages brochures, listing dates and times for upcoming ‘Destination Fun’ events during the summer months, are available at all Villages Regional Rec Centers.
