HO_070519

homerhorizon.com life & arts
the homer horizon | July 5, 2019 | 13
Fun Wizz brings plenty of laughs to Homer library
Rochelle McAuliffe
Freelance Reporter
Typically, one would
be discouraged to “clown
around” in a library.
In this case, even the librarians
were getting in on
the fun.
On the morning of
Thursday, June 27, excited
children in red noses
were dancing, moving and
even juggling — making it
seem like one was walking
into “the big ring” rather
than the Homer Township
Public Library. While the
children acted like circusready
pros, it was actually
part of the “Learn to be
a Clown” Wacky Circus
Show starring Fun Wizz as
the ringleader.
The event was featured
as part of the library’s
summer reading programming
It’s Showtime at
Your Library.
For nearly 40 years, Fun
Wizz, also known as Brian
Wismer, has been clowning
across the Chicagoland
area and beyond, even performing
internationally.
Wismer was an original
member of the Chicagoland
Clown Team and
honed his improvisational
skills through classes at
The Second City before
being one of only 50 applicants
accepted into the
Ringling Bros. and Barnum
& Bailey Clown College
in Venice, Florida.
Upon completion, Fun
Wizz was one of the few
chosen to join the Ringling
Brothers Barnum and
Bailey Circus’s Gold Unit
in Japan.
Since his tour with the
Gold Unit, Wismer returned
to Chicago and
pursued his other passion:
sports medicine and physical
education. After completing
his education at the
University of Chicago in
sports medicine, Wismer
founded a physical therapy
practice in Northbrook, as
well as his own entertainment
company.
Since then, he has combined
those two passions
into a fun and entertaining
show with an emphasis on
movement, fitness, team
building and self-esteem to
all audiences.
“I love getting kids moving
and having fun,” Wismer
explained. “And when
I say kids, I mean kids of all
ages, I don’t care how old
they are. We should all be
able to step out of our comfort
zone, get to know other
people, be creative and see
what happens next at any
age.”
Wismer enjoys performing
at places like libraries
because he knows how important
movement can be
to learning.
“There’s so much research
stating that movement
only emphasizes and
increases the ability to absorb
what you’ve read, so
the combination is fabulous,”
Wismer said.
Jody Olivieri, manager
of youth services, had first
met Wismer when he had
done a physical fitness
challenge at the library, but
after talking to him, she
had discovered his clowning
persona and wanted to
invite Fun Wizz.
With the theme of the
summer’s programming tying
in perfectly, she could
not wait to bring him in.
“He brings so much energy
and enthusiasm, and
we’re so happy to have
events like this that bring
our patrons come into the
library,” Olivieri said.
For Kathy Grinnell,
of Homer Glen, and her
Five-year-old Sita Amin, of Homer Glen, wears her red
clown nose during the “Learn to be a Clown” Wacky
Circus Show held the morning of Thursday, June 27, at
Homer Township Public Library. She noted her favorite
part of the performance was the balloon art. Rochelle
McAuliffe/22nd Century Media
5-year-old grandson, Daniel,
the Wacky Circus
Show was an exciting way
to spend their Thursday
morning. Daniel recently
became an older brother,
so to help his mom out, his
“Gigi” has been finding fun
outings for him during the
day, with many of them being
at the library.
“I love that the library
has fun events like this to
bring children in,” Grinnell
said. “They’re free, and
they’re just enough time to
keep them entertained. It’s
a good thing for everyone.”
The two both loved the
juggling, with Kathy even
saying she was excited to
practice more.
Jennifer Skelley is a frequent
visitor to the library
and was eager to bring her
4-year-old son, David, to
learn to be a clown. Skelley
studies the calendar looking
for events to take her
son to, and she loves that it
is full of things for children
to do during the summer.
Between the dancing and
the balloons, David had a
blast.
“It was fun to dance and
blow balloons,” David
said. “I really want to do
this again.”
One of the Skelley family’s
favorite things about
the library’s programming
is how it exposes children
to books in a fun and engaging
way.
“[The library] has so
many cool events to bring
kids in, and the way that
they tie books in to help
expose them makes a huge
difference. Reading in our
family is important,” Skelley
said.
Keeping children engaged
in reading during
the summer is especially
important to fight the
“summer slide,” according
to Olivieri. With that in
mind, the library focused
on creating a fun summer
programming schedule to
bring families into the library,
including a six-week
reading challenge.
“If they read just a few
books during the summer,
they’re going to be
in great shape and will
stay right at the level they
were then they left school
in June,” Olivieri said.
“We want to be more than
just a place to get a book.
Events like this are [a] fun
break for everyone, and it
brings in the community
to one place. That’s why
we provide the summer
programming that we do
for all ages.”
The It’s Showtime at
Your Library reading challenge
continues through
July 20. Readers can begin
participation at anytime
through the deadline for a
chance to win prizes.
For other programming
at the library, visit homerli
brary.org.