Clowning Around: HFC’s Bonnie Jobe is a member of the Distinguished Clown Corps

HFC health and fitness instructor Bonnie Jobe has been attending America’s Thanksgiving Parade in downtown Detroit for Thanksgiving for the past 16 years.

Unlike most parade-goers, she does it incognito.

Jobe dresses up as a clown, handing out candy to kids and making people smile along the parade route. She is a member of the Distinguished Clown Corps, which was featured in an article in Crain’s Detroit Business and in the Detroit Free Press

“I’ve been doing this since long before Detroit’s rebirth, long before its coming up in the world like it is now,” said Jobe.

History of the Clown Corps

The corps was founded in 1986 by Tom Adams, then-CEO of Campbell Ewald, and Walter McCarthy, Jr., then-chairman of Detroit Edison, as a way to encourage regional business leaders to get involved in the parade. Since then, approximately 2,000 clowns have marched in the parade.

This year, a record 192 clowns participated. The clowns each make annual donation of $1,000 to be part of the corps and to march in the parade. These donations, which are given to charity, have added up to approximately $5 million over the years.

“I’m on my fourth clown costume. My first clown costume was blue and white in honor of HFC. In my 15th year as a clown – which is a milestone anniversary – I was given a red velvet cape,” said Jobe.

“A great joy”

Despite the early hours (clowns have to report by 5:30 a.m.) and cold temperatures when reporting for Thanksgiving duty, the rewards are well worth the effort.

“It’s just such a great joy to see so many smiling faces and to give back to the community,” she said. “I love giving the kids candy and beads. It’s a great thing to do every Thanksgiving morning. I thank HFC every day for giving me the opportunity to do this. It’s such a pleasure.”