Legacy of Laughter, May 2013
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Red Skelton Museum Foundation NEWSLETTER • Volume 3 Issue 1 • May 2013 LEGACY The mission of the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy is to continue the Legacy of Red Skelton through inspiration and education. o� Laughter COMING SOON! Notes from our Chairman Dr. Phillip M. Summers The clock is ticking! We are now on the downside of performance by Tom Mullica who the construction of the Red Skelton is featured in the Branson, MO Museum Exhibits and archival “Tribute to Red Skelton” production. space. The Grand Opening is Also, a special friend of Red’s will be Yes, we are on the “count down”, scheduled for July 18 which is the part of the Grand Opening theatrical and you have our invitation to be 100th anniversary of the birth of performance. That special friend part of the Red Skelton Festival Red Skelton. The Steve Feldman is Jamie Farr of M.A.S.H. fame who and the Grand Opening of the Museum Exhibit Design Company is has many stories to tell about his Red Skelton Museum of American working closely with the fabricator friendship with Red Skelton and Comedy! of the exhibits and the interior their years on TV. construction company to have a The Red Skelton Museum Board high quality Red Skelton Museum. Mark your calendar for both the Red members thank everyone who The museum will celebrate comedy Skelton Festival on June 6 through 8 has donated to the Red Skelton and humor as seen through Red’s and the Red Skelton Museum Grand Museum project and participated life and love of making people Opening on July 18. The excitement in the fundraising events. We hope laugh. of the Red Skelton Museum Board you will become a member of the and Staff continues to build as we Red Skelton Museum “friends” The Red Skelton Museum of see more details about the Museum and continue the effort to support American Comedy’s Grand Opening design and exhibits. The Museum positive and family oriented humor is presented in more detail in interior construction continues on as we pay tribute to a Hoosier who another section of this newsletter. a daily basis and the design and was considered one of the most However, the important thing is fabrication of the exhibits are being famous entertainers of the 20th you do not want to miss this Grand completed. We’ve been told by the century. Opening Special celebration. Mrs. design staff and fabricators that Skelton will be present to open the touring the Museum will be a fun As Red always stated at the end of Museum and there will be a special experience for all ages! his TV Show, “May God Bless”! Red’s Dream Team Red’s Dream Team is composed of local volunteers dedicated to the memory of Red Skelton, Vincennes’ finest son. The Dream Team helps with all Red Skelton Museum related events and activities and gift shop operations. To be a part of this exciting group, contact Anne Pratt at (812) 888-2105 or email [email protected]. Red Skelton Museum Foundation Board of Directors OFFICERS Lothian (Mrs. Red) Skelton Phillip M. Summers Lorene Burkhart C. James McCormick Bernard Niehaus Marilyn McCormick TOPICS THIS ISSUE.... Dale Bieber Mark Hill Anne Rinderle Notes from the Chairman John Bobe Rick Linenburg Shirley Rose Michael Carney Marc McNeece Bob Shelter AATH Partnership Doug Carroll Jimmie Morrison Don Villwock Caring Clown Scholarship Rita Eykamp Jim Osborne Ken Whigham RSM Grand Opening Bill Ferguson George Rapp Joe Yochum Membership Opportunities John Frenz Phil Rath Jerry Zeigler Red Festival in Vincennes Richard Helton George Rehnquist Run for the Roses Event Nancy Reynolds Hensel George Ridgway Museum Tells Red’s Story 2 Collection Feature Healthy Humor Partnership Formed It is with great pleasure that we announce the formation of a unique, AATH is a leader in providing evidence This combination of organizationally collaborative relationship between the based information about current aligned energies will make possible Red Skelton Museum of American research and practical applications the potential for in-depth educational Comedy and AATH – the Association of humor and laughter in the world and training opportunities. AATH of Applied and Therapeutic Humor. today. AATH shares information and has just announced that their Annual Both organizations are strategically “best practices” with the people who Conference, “Healthy Humor: What aligned in their love of and support is it, Where to find it, Who needs for compassionate humor and healthy Both organizations are it ….and Why?” will be held in laughter. Vincennes, Indiana, the home of the Red strategically aligned in Skelton Museum of American Comedy, A multi-talented entertainer, their love of and support April 3-6, 2014. humanitarian and patriot, Red Skelton’s for compassionate humor professional and personal life colorfully and healthy laughter. exemplified that philosophy. The Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy will continue the Red’s Legacy work directly and indirectly in our pillar of Laughter through inspiration and communities. In AATH, you will find education. And, for 25 years, AATH has nurses and physicians, psychologists, served as an international community social workers, researchers, therapists, of professionals dedicated to the study, caring clowns and authors who have practice and promotion of healthy literally “written the book” on the www.aath.org humor and laughter. emerging field of therapeutic humor. Red Skelton Caring Clown Scholarship As part of the I offer distraction strategies to help tumor in spring of 1995 and he loved partnership with patients cope with medical procedures, it when I would come and visit him as AATH, The Red treatments and hospitalization on an Miss Loosie the clown. He would say Skelton Museum inpatient and outpatient basis. I provide “Loooosie you’ve got some explainin’ to Foundation and compassionate comic relief and social do!” Jim McCormick and emotional support to everyone have sponsored involved in Family Centered Care, as I After he passed away, I began the Red Skelton work closely with other members of the volunteering weekly at Hospice Calgary Caring Clown pediatric healthcare team. Frequently, I as a Caring Clown. I am so privileged to Scholarship. am invited to present Humor & Laughter work with people in end of life care as This scholarship pays the AATH FUNshops to other healthcare teams well as the day programs for those living conference registration fee for a worthy and community organizations. Humor, with Cancer. I have learned so much applicant who exhibits traits of which storytelling, improvisation, face painting, about living from those who are leaving. Red would be proud. The first winner of puppetry, magic tricks, music, dancing When I returned from my first AATH that scholarship was Cheryl Ann Oberg. and Laughter Yoga are some of the tools conference in 2001, I founded Calgary’s As you read some of her words from her I use to instill hope and elicit laughter. Caring Clown Association. In May, we application essay, you will understand invited Patch Adams to come to Calgary why she was the clear choice to be the “...now I knew that I could and share his journey with us. Patch first recipient of the Red Skelton Caring become a clown just like Red taught us how to live a life of joy and clown Scholarship. “In 2001, I attended Skelton whenever I wanted!” never have another bad day! my first AATH Conference in San Diego where I met Patty Wooten, Shobi Dobi I was soon volunteering over 2,000 and so many other incredible mentors. My first clown nose was discovered community hours a year for the My life was forever changed from that in a cherry tree in 1962 when I was Canadian Red Cross, Families Matter, moment on as I had finally found my three years old. As I bit that big juicy Kids Cancer Care Foundation and the humor family! cherry in half, it looked like the perfect Alberta Children’s Hospital. Now I am a clown nose for me. I turned it around Caring Clown leader, mentor & educator Through AATH, I have had the and around on my nose but it would to many other groups across Canada. It opportunity to lead others in Caring not stay on. So I ate it! When I went all started with a compassionate caring Clown Rounds with seniors living in into the house, my Mom asked “What clown on our little black and white TV. care facilities across the USA. Since happened to your nose?” When I looked His name was RED! This is my life’s 2004, I have been Sparkle a Therapeutic into the mirror, there it was. The cherry dream job and it has been designed Clown at the Alberta Children’s had stained my nose and now I knew perfectly for me! I dreamed the life I Hospital. I love sharing laughter, joy, that I could become a clown just like wanted to live and now I am joyfully compassion and wonder with the Red Skelton whenever I wanted! My living it in full color!” children, youth and their families, where stepfather was diagnosed with a brain 3 THURSDAY RED SKELTON JULY 18TH GRAND OPENING Celebration HAPPY TH Tickets go on sale June 1, 2013 100 $100 - VIP includes reception with appetizers and wine, prior to the show, with Lothian Skelton. Commemorative pin, premier seating and dessert reception after the show and self-guided tours of the museum throughout the RED evening $50 – Patron includes commemorative pin, priority seating and dessert reception after the show and unguided tours of the museum throughout the evening $30 – General Admission includes general seating and dessert reception after the show and self-guided tours of the museum throughout the evening Evening Time Schedule 5:30 - Ribbon Cutting 6:00 PM - Museum open for tours Tours will continue until 10:00 PM except during the show time.