Ice Cream Social a lip smaking good time

The Star Trek theme song set the backround music while children and clowns mixed and mingled at an ice cream social Sunday at the Roberts House.

The event was sponsored by The Landmarks Historical Society and the Red Hat Society, a group of women 50 years or older who are "just having fun," said Patty Temple, the Red Hat Society's queen mum.

Money raised at Sunday's ice cream social will benefit the Robert's House Museum and The Landmarks Historical Society.

One of the clowns at the social, Karen Ouellette, who goes by the name Bammie the Clown, was dressed in large sunglasses, a rainbow colored wig, a spotted jumper and football sized plastic shoes. She was a first time clown.

"I never have been (a clown) before," Ouellette said. "But I hope to be again."

Although she said her first experience as a clown was enjoyable, she said some of the kids at the social were scared of her.

"They want to wave to me from a distance but when they get close to me they run," she said.

Alecia Ouellette, Karen's 4-year-old granddaughter, laughed and hid behind her mother when asked what she thought of her grandmother in the clown suit.

Ron Gould, another clown working the crowd, moved to the Carson area six months ago from Fairbanks, Alaska and clowns around for fun at church and charity events. He's been a clown for three years and said his inspiration is Patch Adams.

"You don't always have to have a clown face to be a clown," he said.

Carson City Sheriff's deputies took kids' fingerprints and fire personnel provided tours of a fire engine for the children.

Live music was provided by the Capitol Community Band.

Rite Aid and Model Dairy donated $25 worth of ice cream for the social - about 15 gallons. Cookies and brownies were donated by the Red Hat Society.