Clowning to Raise Money in Iowa  "It's an alternative form of
fundraising," Lehman says. Clowning is a way to bring in crowds,
and it's also an opportunity to get safety messages across -
especially to little kids.  In 1985, the Panther Creek Church of
the Brethren invited members of other Dallas County churches to
attend a weekend course taught by a student of the well-known
Floyd Schaffer, a great in clown ministry. That was all Lehman
needed to realize this was something she could do.  Soon, she
was joining magic club Justo Hijo, and Clown Alley No. 189, the
Korn Patch Klowns. She attended as many clown camps and
conferences as she could. And she was fascinated.  "Clowning is
like music and art," Lehman says. "It transcends the spoken
language."  She discovered she could captivate crowds without
saying a word.  She created her clown persona with the name
"Mari-Gold," the nickname her dad gave her. She also created the
name "Tip-Top" for her son Travis, then 3 years old, who started
out performing kiddie ma