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Home Grown Clowns

"A smile is a precious gift and laughter is music to your soul."

This simple statement is at the heart of what gives meaning to the lives of Hull's professional clowning couple, Susan Oberg and Harvey Jacobvitz, otherwise known as Fruit & Jingles. Both have been professional clowns for over 25 years, providing entertainment for corporate clients, teaching clowning to adults and children, and using their talents to help raise money for Why Me, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides emotional and financial support to New England children with cancer and their families.

Harvey and Susan met 12 years ago at a Clowns of America International convention in Portland, Oregon. Both had been drawn to clowning at a much earlier point in their lives.

After teaching clowning to children all over the country, the couple wanted to teach clowning right here in Hull and with the support of Hull's Park & Rec Department, a couple started a summer camp program here, now in its eighth year. The five-day program runs in August and children ages six to 14 are taught magic, ballooning, juggling, improvisation and clown makeup. At the end of their camp week, the children put on an hour-long performance. Many of the same children return year after year, because they are so excited about this unusually fun learning environment.

This summer, Clown Camp will run from August 6-10.

19 years ago after meeting a young boy, he who is very ill, Susan began volunteering to support Why Me, Inc. Why Me, Inc. is a Worcester-based organization that assists children and their families throughout the various stages of a child's life threatening illness. There is so much financial need, when a child has cancer. Very often, one or both of the parents has to stop working and ordered to stay with their child, who is undergoing treatment for cancer. Why Me, Inc. Helps families to pay utility bills, food bills, and even parking fees at the hospital.

A few years ago the organization purchased a home in Worcester, called Sherry's House. Sherry's House provides no cost eight bedroom lodging for child cancer patients, their families and caregivers, throughout the cancer treatment process. Families whose child is receiving their treatment at any Massachusetts hospital come from all over the United States and Puerto Rico to stay at Sherry's House. in addition to lodging, Sherry's House offers supportive services such as bereavement groups for parents and siblings.

At first, Susan supported Why Me, Inc., by selling hot dogs for a dollar each at Jiffy Lube and making pastries to sell at the mall. Eventually, Susan and Harvey were able to provide support for creating a performance space in the house, complete with lighting. The couple also conducts a "Clown Clinic", inviting other clowns to participate in this "clinic of fun."

Feeling the more you give the more you get back, the couple planned their wedding in a way that would benefit the town of Hull, and created a "clown wedding" at the Paragon Carousel. 3000 people, including 200 clowns, and news reporters attended the wedding. The wedding story was picked up by the national news, and even the Daily Show with Jon Stewartdid a spoof of their wedding.

With that degree of recognition Susanne and Harvey thought they could use their name recognition to raise even more money for Why Me, Inc., and started an annual Chocolate Lovers & Wine Tasting event at the Clarion Hotel in Hull.

The event has always been held in February, and has created positive synergy by bringing people into Hull in the middle of winter, many of them staying overnight or for the weekend at the Clarion Hotel and also raising money to support Why Me, Inc.

The first year, the couple ran this upscale event, there was a major snowstorm the night before. With 500 tickets presold everyone showed up and the event has been a sellout ever since.

This year, the Chocolate Lovers & Wine Tasting will take place on Saturday, February 10 from 1- 4 p.m. at the Clarion Nantasket Beach Resort Hotel Spa.

The best part about being a clown is that in a split second Fruit and Jingles can make a sick child or a heartsick family laugh, and while they are laughing, if only for a moment, they can forget their pain.

By Cindy Bittker

 

 

 

 

 

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