Second Tuesday Meeting

We had a really great Brigade Meeting this evening. We have two new candidates. So that is always a really nice thing. Tonight we did some Christmas carols and had a bit of a sing song in addition to the stuff we normally do. We also got a chance for some of our folks to work on a dance routine. I have never really thought of clowns as dancers. So this is a new thing for me. Still a hundred years ago clowns did not really do balloon animals. So it is something that is always evolving. So maybe some day clowns will be dancing. That is something that is a bit odd to me still. I also have a young person that wants to do skate boarding. So things are changing.

I also had a chance to visit the local Clown of America International meeting yesterday. This was a really neat little meeting. They were very friendly and even invited us to their Christmas Party. I have never been invited to a Christmas Party at my first meeting with a group.

On the up side moving the meeting to Tuesday appears to have gotten a couple of people that have not been to Wednesdays for a while to the meeting. So that was a bonus as well. So just a note for any of the Brigade members reading this. The Brigade Practice will be on Tuesday from 5:30 to 8:00 PM at Second Baptist The Knitting and Production Practice will be on Wednesday at the same time at the Barnes and Nobles at the Waterfront. Church is still at Second Baptist at 11:00 AM.

Clown Associations

Now that the Brigade is off on it's own we are going to have to form partnerships with other organization. This is one thing that we were not supposed to do when we were within The Salvation Army. We were never told that we were not allowed to. It was simply never done. And when we asked if we could it was always we will get back to you. And then we never heard from anyone.

Well now we are off on our own. So we make our own decisions. Well there are three choices to choose from as far as clown association go. Actually there are many more. There are just the three that cover our area.

Well the three that cover this area have the own virtues and strengths. From what I recall no organization is perfect. The local clown ally is a member of all three if I recall correctly. I suppose that is one way to deal with the strength and weaknesses of the three.

The first is the oldest of the three. The Clown of America International. I do believe they are also the largest. I was a member of this group once upon a time. It is a nice little group. They have a fairly decent conference. Their only draw back is that they minimum membership age it to high for some of the Brigade's members.

The Second Group is the World Clown Association. They appear more interested in humor therapy than the COAI. So this might be a plus for us. It also appear that Dr. Richard Snowberg is their current President. From what I know of Humor Therapy within clown he is doing a great deal.

The third group is the Mid-Atlantic Clown Association. They are a regional group that covers the region around us. I was never a member of this group. Still I have heard only good things about them. I do not know where they stand on Humor Therapy. Still, they have the advantage of being local. So we would be able to attend their conference more easily than the others.

Well I know that out board will vote on all of this so it is not entirely my decision. Still it is interesting looking into their things.

Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

First Church Service of SCCB Ministries

Pastor Gailey has scheduled the first praise and worship service for November 20th at 6:00PM. This should give everyone enough time to get there and settle in. We are still working on where the service will be held. We are talking to a couple places that should be able to host us.

We may have a cake or something afterward to celebrate the new endeavor. We will keep you updated. If you would like to attend email us at steelcityclownbrigade@yahoo.com and we will be sure to send you an invite with full details.

This Saturday we have a show at the Ranking Christian Center. I will let you know how it goes. We might even have some pictures.

Advancement Pyramid

 We have lost our Advancement Pyramid from the Cult that will not be Named. So for our first advancement ceremony in exile we assembled a pyramid using books at our new home at Second Baptist. 

    We had two folks advance to Standard Clown and three up to Junior Clown. It was a bit bitter sweet but we had an excuse for some bag pipe music.

Getting Ready

Today we spent some time getting ready for the Revival in Frick Park in Homestead. Pictured is Sergeant Kisielnicki sorting some costume items.

In the foreground is the sound system which is ready to go. Sergeants Prioleau and Thurman also helped put together the equipment.

In addition to the sound system we took four trunks of costumes and props.

On other fronts we have updated the calendar. We are also looking to revisit our newsletter and vid cast. We know that it has been a while since we have done either. Still, it has been a hectic summer for us all.

Thank for tuning in and God Bless.

Revival in the Park

The Brigade will be performing at the Revival in Frick Park on the 5th and 7th from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The event will run three days the 5 through the seventh. There will food and fun and of course for everyone.

The Brigade will be performing a couple new routine and an old stand by or two. On the 5th we will be concentrating on John 3:16.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

On Friday we will be looking at the story of Noah with Balloon Animals. The story of Noah can be found in the book of Genesis.

We hope that if you are in the Homestead area and have the opportunity that you will drop by.

The Revival in the Park also will be the first event we use out new Sound System at. Our Senior Sergeant Kisielnicki co-ordinated the donation of the sound system from several sources. We now have two 14 inch speakers, a sound bard and amp as well as six microphones. This is a real blessing and answer to prayer. It is also an opportunity to take something off our wish list.

Thank you for tuning and God Bless.

Rain Warning

Because of the rain today we will be meeting at the Barnes and Nobles in the Water Front. WE will be meeting at the regular time just another location. See everyone there.

New Practice Schedule

The Steel City Clown Brigade has had a disagreement with The Salvation Army. We are currently faced with the option of disbanding or meeting on our own. Until further notice The Steel City Clown Brigade will meet on their own.

We would still like to find a resolution with The Salvation Army. We as a Brigade have voted and a resolution must include The Salvation Army honoring the Brigade Corps Agreement and resumption of all Brigade activities. Until this is achieved or we find better accommodation the Brigade will meet at the following time.

Official Brigade Sunday Service will be at Second Baptist Church at 10:30

Sunday 12th of July the Brigade will be at Subway near the Homestead Gray's Bridge for Lunch. This will take place after church.

Monday Production for Knitting will take place at the Waterfront Barnes and Nobles at 5:30 PM.
Children wishing to attand should contact me so that you can be picked up.

Wednescday Brigade Practice will be at Frick Park in Homestead at 5:30 PM Weather Permitting.

If you have an question please ocntact me at 412 431-0579. Until a new office is set up this will also function as our main phone number. Thank you for your supporet and understanding.

Show at the Propel School

Friday June 12 we had a very nice little show at the Propel School. Thr Propel School is a Charter School that is Physically next to The Salvation Army in Homestead. It is also a school that several o the Children from the Corps and Sergeant Proileau attends.

This is Popie and Apprentice Brimage outside the Propel School just before the show. As you can tell the both of them are adorable. And they took a moment for a picture just after we set up.

This was the first time that we ever did anything other than a stage show away from The Corps. We used four hundred and 98 Balloons. That is a crazy amount of Balloons to use in under five hours. It is not something one clown could do. It is also a testament to the skills of these young clowns and the training they have done.

This is a Picture of Alakazi working on a Snake for a young man during the show. I figure that she personally use around one hundred and fifty of the balloons. That mean that we was working at the rate that you would exspect a Jr. Clown from the Circus to work at.

She may not look like she is Happy but she is happy on the inside. It is sort of unfair to take picture of us while we are doing ballon with thrity kids waiting for their balloon. The reality is that we can look happy the majority of the time. And at that split second when the picture is take you have a frustrated look because of a balloon you are working on. Well nothing is perfect. Still we had fun at the show.

A Grant for Jr. Clowns

The Brigade has just received a Grant from the Interboro College Cluib of The Pittsburgh Foundation for nine hundred dollars.

This will be used the purchase stilts, unicycles and makeup for four of our Jr. Clowns. This will allow us to further their training. We are very greatful for this opportunity. It will allow us to make a great deal of progress.

A Couple Projects

We have been working on or Trophy wall for the last few weeks. The main part of this is a large version of our logo. This is it as it was a couple weeks ago. The Idea was Sergent Kisielnicki's to make a three dimensional shield out of wood.


This is Sergeant Thurman painting the center of the Red Shield that was missing in the previous picture.

Here is Sergeant Kisielnicki after he finished the White Shield. It was really a very special project.

This is Sergeant Wilson sanding some dowel rods that will be made into Devil Sticks. Devil Sticks are a juggling implement.

These are a set of the finished Devil Sticks. We painted them in the Brigades Colors.

Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

Friday Knitting

Sergeants Thurman, Prioleau and my wife and I headed out to the Friday night knitting group at South Hills Village yesterday.

Here is Sergeant Prioleau reading. I thinks she likes books more than knitting.

Sergeant Thurman is working on a Chemo Cap. She like knitting in the round more than knitting on strait needles.
This is Sergeant Thurman Modeling a hat that I finished the main part of while I have at the group. I forgot who I am making the hat for. That is probably a sign that I am making to many clown hats

And finally Sergeant Thuman is saying hello. So good by and God Bless

Promotions

We had several promotions this week. Some of the pictures were so blurry you could not make out whe they were.

This is Cadet Grable she just joined the Brigade.

Not pictures is Cadet Bell and Cadets Brimage who was promoted. They were the truly blurry pictures.

Apprentice Stewart was promoted to Junior Clown.

This is Sergeant Thurman who has been promoted to Jr. Clown.

This is Senior Sergeant of the Brigade Kisielnicki. He is the first Standard Clown that has been trained from the ground up in the Brigade. This is an important promotion for the brigade I figures it would take five or six years to train our first standaard clown.He did it in a year. He is clowning machine.

Thanks for tuning in and God Bless.

Promotions

This round of promotions has yeilded a couple folks this time around.

The first promotion is Senior Sergeant Kisielnicki. He is now a standard clown. As a matter of fact his is the first clown to join the troop with no previous experince who reached the rank of Standard Clown. This in particular is an important step. It is a sign that we are becoming a real clown troupe in the circus style.

Next up is Sergeant Thurman. She has achieved the rank of Jr. Clown. This is also an important step. She is part of the large group of kids that joined the Brigade last year. Of this group she is the first to achieve the rank of Jr. Clown. This rank is imporatnt because it shows thata clown is reaching a point where they can start teaching others. The entire time she has been with the Brigade she has been a leader within this group of kids. Now she is a leader within the entire Brigade.