Page 40 - Clowning_Around_101
P. 40
Hello from Winnipeg,
where it’s Cold Outside
and Funny Within...
Cliff Hartmier
With the international borders less So the Winnipeg group gets together
hassle-free to travel than in 2022, I was about once a month. The theme for the
able to attend the annual convention in last meeting was to bring something to
Orlando which brought memories of present. One of the long time clowns
the 2016 convention. During the plan- "Gary" decided to have the group cri-
ning stages, I recalled that a member tique him on a skit that he is working
of the executive board back in 2016 had on. It was done well and the group
rented a vehicle to have handy if needed, provided feedback thus making it ed-
for arriving members. This was her ucational for all. Another of the new
personal endeavor back in 2016 clowns showed their musical tal-
and after querying the exec- ents on the ukulele. It was a
utive, I undertook it as my small crowd at the meeting,
personal contribution. but it is still an opportu-
Numerous members nity to perform in front
requested the service of others. There was
and It was enjoyable some rebutting go-
for the one on one ing back between
informative con- the player and her
versations with the mom. Initially, the
riders. It should be mom started play-
noted that due to ing but the daugh-
liabilities, this had ter showed her up
to be a personal un- by being the bet-
dertaking instead of ter player. Anoth-
a WCA service. er well known cur-
rent WCA executive
The first WCA con-
was also in attendance,
vention that I attend- Charles "Sleepy" Laud-
ed was back in 2000 with er. He brought his compact
Deanna and my step daughter plate spinning suitcase and ev-
in Toronto Canada. I could men- eryone tried their hand at this skill.
tion that we did try to arrange our Personally, it was my first real attempt
wedding to happen at the 2000 convention at plate spinning, but another segment of this eve-
but scheduling became a challenge. Since then, the ning meeting. The group had a first timer and we all
core of Canadians that have been visible and active for enjoyed a demonstration on LED POIs. These are LED
WCA have been from Winnipeg. The Winnipeg group lit balls on strings. Although there was no individual
has been since the early 1980s. It did start as a COA al- practice, it did serve to enrich our minds on something
ley and later became a WCA /COAI alley. Currently, we that tended to be fascinating. Our very own WCA Past
are just a WCA alley.
40 MAGAZINE