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WASHINGTON D.C. (February 19, 2008) - If laughter is the best
medicine, deployed troops are getting huge doses when they open
care packages full of red clown noses.
"The mission of The Red Nose Institute is to share the art of
clowning, spread joy and laughter to our military, and perhaps
boost their morale by the distribution of red foam noses," said
Cheryl Herrington, the institute's president and a professional
clown known as "Sweet Pea."
Clowning is a sideline for Herrington, who works as a
psychiatric nurse and knows the value of a simple smile. She grew
up as an Air Force "brat" and lost a brother in Vietnam.
"We mean no disrespect whatsoever to our military. Our only
intent is to help improve their mental health by giving them
something to smile about," she said. "And you have to admit, a red
clown nose is pretty unexpected!"
If the photos on the Missouri-based institute's Web site are any
indication, the noses are accomplishing their goal. In fact,
families and friends who request the noses on behalf of
servicemembers seem to have as much fun sending them as the
servicemembers do receiving them, Herrington said.
Since the program began in July, Herrington and "Pappy," her
partner in laughter and in this endeavor, have sent 10,000 red foam
noses to troops. Recently, 525 of those went to a Coast Guard unit
at the request of its commanding officer. He wanted to give the
unit's members something to laugh about -- their deployment to
patrol frigid waters during the holidays certainly wasn't doing
that, according to the group's Web site.
Sweet Pea and Pappy -- a former Marine and also a professional
clown -- can fill requests as small as 25 noses for an individual
and up to 1,000 or more. There's no charge to the requestor or the
recipients.
Though the duo's main intent is to brighten the troops' days,
their secondary goal is no laughing matter.
"It is our hope that some noses will be given to children in
communities where the troops are stationed," Herrington said. "We
believe that by sharing the art of clowning, our servicemembers
will have an opportunity to interact with the children and …
perhaps gain more understanding and awareness of them."
The flip side of that is that perhaps the children will begin to
trust the servicemembers, Herrington said.
A new supporter of the Defense Department's America Supports You
program, The Red Nose Institute is looking forward to the
networking opportunities and exposure the affiliation will
bring.
Herrington said the credibility of being associated with the
Defense Department's program perhaps will be the greatest benefit,
however.
"We are well aware that this project is not for everyone," she
said. "Some folks see it as demeaning and totally miss the focus of
The Red Nose Institute, which is only to put smiles on the face of
our troops!"
The America Supports You program connects citizens and companies
with servicemembers and their families serving at home and
abroad.
Editor's Note: To find out about more individuals,
groups and organizations that are helping support the troops,
visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil. America
Supports You directly connects military members to the support of
the America people and offers a tool to the general public in their
quest to find meaningful ways to support the military
community.
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