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This article is the first in a series of true stories about e-zine success.

Two years ago this month, hurricane Katrina devastated the US Gulf Coast. It was one of those horrific, seminal events that changed many lives forever, but some good did come of it. Jeremy Cohen, a Shrine clown from Atlanta, GA, recognized that the clown community could help relieve the stress and suffering from such calamities.

In the months following the disaster, he and other community-minded clowns formed Red Nose Response (RNR). Its mission is to serve and support all people by bringing smiles, joy, love and laughter to those who have been impacted by a catastrophe. RNR also provides guidelines and trains volunteers to work effectively with other humanitarian organizations, while administering its unique form of comic relief.

Communication is Key

In less than two years, the organization's part-time clowns have not only created a robust organization, but they've also been on the spot to support victims of fires, floods and other devastation. They cheer up weary recovery workers, too. From the beginning, communication was a big challenge. RNR's mission means that they never know when they'll be called into action. Lots of information in advance is the name of the game, but so is quick reaction when something bad happens.

That's the way in was in May. E-zine editors Barbara Bird and Arla Albers had just e-mailed their fourth issue when news of the shootings at Virginia Tech hit the press wires. At the same time, a vicious nor'easter caused major flooding in New Jersey. In less than 36 hours, they published a special edition letting the RNR community know how they could help and where to send donations.

"This is exactly what we wanted the newsletter to do," observes Barbara. "We don't know when the next disaster will happen, so we need to be able to reach our community quickly in a format they are familiar with."

Local and Nationwide

Clowning in the face of a disaster is no laughing matter. It takes training, sensitivity and the willingness to listen when people are angry, frightened and confused. But RNR is a nationwide volunteer organization that needs to respond quickly to local crises. Furthermore, these clowns have real jobs without face paint and red noses. So the challenge was to find an efficient way to communicate that would allow RNR to disseminate both routine and exceptional information to local and regional coordinators, as well as to their growing membership.

"At first the board was reluctant to take on regular monthly e-mail communications," says Barbara. "They were worried it would be too much work. But in just a few short months, it's become the way to get the word out."

RNR's e-zine helps build their organization as well, when one clown forwards a copy to another clown, who didn't even know RNR existed. And the feedback from readers keeps the organization headed in the right direction--bringing more smiles to faces young and old when things are really bad.