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Cheer Up Missions is a private, nonprofit, small organization of 24 volunteers with the goal of helping people in hospitals, orphanages, shelters, senior citizen homes, and disaster situations cope with their difficult situations. We accomplish this by supplying Humor Therapy through a fun, action-packed Clown Variety Show that includes skits, illusions, music and dancing. In addition, we procure & distribute Medical Supplies (wheelchairs, medicines, medical beds, & surgical supplies) and Humanitarian Aid (food, clothing, personal hygiene necessities, & toys) for disaster victims and those in need. Mission Statement Our mission is to bring smiles, laughter, medical supplies & humanitarian aid to disaster victims and those in need at home and abroad, as well as help keep kids healthy and happy by presenting health, safety & educational messages through our clown performances.
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Cheer Up Missions has been very busy since its formation in October of 1998 when Smiley the Clown -- a.k.a. Kenneth Landriault (who has been doing Clinical Clowning for 10 years in Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Russia, Bosnia, Croatia, Canada and the USA) joined forces with Procurement expert Anna Pinzon. Volunteer apprentice clowns Robert Haskell and his 12 year old daughter Anna immediately started training and went on "active duty" alongside Smiley in the local hospitals and shelters of New Orleans. Two months later, in December, Smiley was off for a one month Christmas tour of the orphanages, schools and hospitals of Bosnia performing with CoCo the Clown whom Smiley had trained in Bosnia in 1996. Cheer Up Missions then enlisted the help of funny man and music wizard Zapateli the Clown (a.k.a. Patrick Farrell), charming vocalist Janet Kluck, and Daisy Haskell to help on logistics, who all played an essential role in making our Hurricane Mitch Relief Work possible. Recently, Timothy & Sheri Martiny as well as Mike and Debbie Penton from Canada have also become valuable members of the team. |
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Major Accomplishments and Events (1998) Formation of Cheer Up Missions in October.
(1999) Anna Pinzon procures and coordinates shipping for $250,000 of Medical Supplies & Humanitarian Aid for Mitch Victims.
(2000) Shipped a container valued at $100,000 of medical supplies and Aid to Venezuela for mudslide victims.
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Cheer up Missions is made up of little people with big hearts but small wallets doing what they can to help relieve pain, suffering and sorrow. Funds for our trips, transportation and costs were largely made possible by the help of several Wal-Marts©, Winn-Dixies© and Save-a-Centers© allowing our clowns to do balloon animals in front of their stores plus our own personal funds and individual donations from friends. The shipping of the containers was donated by Chiquita Banana©. The wheelchairs were mostly donated by Danny Burnemen of National Seating & Mobility© and Jim Glaes of Home Care Supply©. The medical beds were supplied by Tenet Health Systems© and La Mirada Heights Nursing Home. A large part of the medicines (plus valuable shipping and handling information) was heartily given by IHC© (International Hospital for Children in New Orleans). Our intense involvement in the Hurricane Mitch Relief Effort last year, however, depleted our meager funds. So we are now reaching out for outside financial assistance from individuals, companies, social clubs, churches and foundations like yourself. Your help makes it possible for us to keep Cheering Up those going through great difficulties in their lives with Humor Therapy and Medical and Humanitarian Aid Distribution. Thank you for putting your care and concern into action! |
