The CHARLIE Award is given to the Clowns of America International Clown Alley which best proclaims, documents and celebrates International Clown Week (August 1-7). Adopted in 1974, it was offered to the (then) Clowns of America (COA) proclaiming National Clown Week.Both the Alley and Individual awards are presented on beautiful plaques with the recipient’s name engraved on separate plates.

In 1983 after nine years the alley award was discontinued when the Clowns of America became Clowns of America International. The competition was renewed in 1994. In 1999, the COAI Board approved through the recommendation of the Clown Week chairman, Bob “Bunky” Gretton, an Individual Award for a COAI member in good standing who best documents and celebrates Clown Week on an individual basis. In 2000 the Individual Plaque was designed and donated by the KapitolKlowns, Alley #6.

The CHARLIE Award contest is open to all active alleys (contact the Alley Coordinator if you have questions on your alley status) and individual members. The winning alley and individual will receive their respective CHARLIE Awards at the COAI Spring Convention Banquet to hold for one year. In addition, each recipient (alley and individual) will be given small plaques for their permanent possession.

COMPETITION RULES

• A competing alley must be in good standing and have a COAI-charter membership. Individuals vying for the Individual Plaque Award must also be a member in good standing in COAI. Both must include contact information (alley name/number, alley representative/individual info–address, email, telephone cell number for any texting).
• Put together a scrapbook. In this book you must have documentation about your Clown Week activities, news stories, thank you notes, proclamations, and pictures. Signage showing the current year proclaiming COAI CLOWN WEEK.
• An alley must show a listing of members who participated and days during the week showing events as well as types of activities.
• Electronic Scrapbook / Scrapbook must be submitted to the Clown Week Chair by or postmarked October 1st of that year.
• Winning Alley and Individual will be announced at the Convention Banquet awards ceremony. Both names will be engraved on the respective plaques. Each plaque will be returned to the Clown Week Chair or any board member in time for next year’s convention.  Plaques will also be presented to each for permanent possession.

THANK YOU!  “Clowns Have A Real Love In Everyone”!
TERESA “Blondi” Gretton
Clown Week Chair

tgretton@comcast.net
301-379-6771 Cell

ALLEY AWARD WINNERS
By CLOWN WEEK

1975 The Grand & Glorious Galaxy of Clowns Alley #44
1976 KapitolKlowns Alley #6
1977 Milwaukee Metro Clown Club Alley #37
1978 Milwaukee Metro Clown Club Alley #37
1979 Milwaukee Metro Clown Club Alley #37
1980 Texas Mid Cities Clown Alley #85
1981 Texas Mid Cities Clown Alley #85
1982 Greater Hartford Clown Alley #107
1983 KapitolKlowns Alley #6
1984 – 1992 Not Awarded
1993 Classic Clown Club Alley #181
1994 Classic Clown Club Alley #181
1995 Omaha’s Wild Clown-Dum Alley #147
1996 Greater Hartford Clowns of America Alley #107
1997 KapitolKlowns Alley #6
1998 Electric City Clown Alley #285
1999 Caloosa Clowns Alley #97
2000 Caloosa Clowns Alley #97
2001 -TIE Electric City Alley #285
Caloosa Clowns Alley #97
2002 Electric City Alley #285
2003 Omaha Wild Clowndum, Alley #147
2004 Electric City Clown Alley #285
2005 Big Sky Clown Alley #284
2006 Clowns Like Us Alley #303
2007 Corn E Clowns of Erie County Alley #394
2008 Classic Clown Club Alley #181
2009 Virginia Clown Alley #3
2010 Electric City Clown Alley #285
2011 KapitolKlowns Alley #6
2012 KolonialKlowns Alley #357
2013 Clowns Like Us Alley #303
2014 Classic Clown Club Alley #181
2015 Erie Jolly Jesters Alley #65 and
The Eriesistible Clowns Alley #420
2016 San Diego All Stars Alley # 56
2017 Toby’s Clown Alley, COAI Alley #296
2018 San Diego All Stars Alley #56
2019 Niagara Falls Clown Alley #431
2020 KolonialKlowns Alley #357
2021 San Diego All Stars Alley #56
2022 No Recipient
2023 No Recipient
2024 Omaha Wild Clowndum Alley #147
2025 Minnesota Clowns – Alley #19

INDIVIDUAL AWARD WINNERS
By CLOWN WEEK

1999 Richard “Design-O” Smith
2000 Kent “Kayo” Sheets
2001 Kent “Kayo” Sheets
2002 Sissy “Pipsqueak” Womak
2003 Bonita “Bon Bon” Love
2004 Michael “Bonkers” Cox
2005 Barbara “Sweet Thang” Cox
2006 Evon “Starlena” Taylor
2007 Sue “Squeeze” Marranconi
2008 John “Splash” Sullivan
2009 Ann “Tuttles” Sanders
2010 No Recipient
2011 John “Splash” Sullivan
2012 Diane “Toodles” Jones
2013 Marie ‘ Mischief’ Beck
2014 Connie ‘ Punkin’ Morrow
2015 Crissy ‘Miz Daisy’ Melnitzke
2016 Robin ‘Pinky B’ Bryan
2017 Lorice “Auntie Swizzle” Bolde
2018 Jim “Donuts” Donoughe
2019 no recipient
2020 Jim “Donuts” Donoughe
2021 Jackie “Bee Bee” Reynolds
2022 Jim “Donuts” Donoughe
2023 Bonnie Corcia
2024 no recipient
2025 no recipient