Circus Sarasota

Shaylee's 1st trip to the circus!

Circus Sarasota is Florida's only not-for-profit resident circus who's mission is to "pay homage to an extraordinary circus legacy by broadening the artistic contribution to the circus through education and human service outreach programming" and fulfill their mission by "enriching, educating, and entertaining audiences of all ages". With its unique comprehensive care program of "Humor Therapy", Circus Sarasota's Laughter Unlimited provides professional clowns, trained volunteers and entertainers to visit residents in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and adult day care centers on a regular basis. They improve the quality of life, bringing joy, wonder, laughter, and hope to those that need it most. After all, where do you think the phrase "Laughter is the best medicine" originated from? Studies have shown that laughter reduces stress, decreases pain perception, and has a positive, lasting effect on the body's immune system, heart and brain. Laughter Unlimited's "Humor Therapy" runs amut form one-on-one bedside visitation and conversations to engaging patients and residents in physical activities, and individual and group memory stimulation.

Another facet to Laughter Unlimited is Memories...Lost and Found, therapeutic program for the memory impaired serving mid to late stage Alzheimer patients. What's unusual is that this circus came into Ft Myers on March 6...my grandfather passed away from Alzheimer's on March 7th. And his funeral was March 15th, and I just so happened to score, not one, but three free tickets (valued at $96) on March 18th. Coincidence? Weird!

This is the 11th Annual winter production for Circus Sarasota and they welcome Bello Nock, a circus superstar and world renowned comic daredevil. While performing here in Ft Myers, Laughter Unlimited will begin an ongoing program that will benefit the SW FL Children's Hospital, the Senior Center and the Cancer Center at lee Memorial Healthpark. In 2008, their professional and trained volunteer clowns spent more than 2000 hours serving the community.

"The circus is the only ageless delight that you can buy for money. Everything else is suppose to be bad for you. But the circus is good for you. It is the only spectacle I know that, while you watch it, gives the quality of a truly happy dream."- Ernest Hemmingway