Why is Kathy Chavez Wearing a Red Nose on Facebook?

Have you noticed lately that Kathy Chavez has been wearing a red clown nose on Facebook? The red nose not only fits with her personality as an all-around fun person, but it also demonstrates her commitment to addressing global poverty.

Kathy happens to be an Albuquerque-based peer advisor for New Mexico Oxfam Action Corps, and Oxfam America is one of the twelve organizations that will benefit from the first-ever Red Nose Day telethon in the U.S.A.

Even though this is the inaugural Red Nose Campaign here in our country, Comic Relief U.K. has held a Red Nose Day event in Britain for several years to raise money for organizations that work with underprivileged children at home and around the world. In fact, Red Nose Day has become the top television fundraising event in the UK.

The U.S. telethon will air on NBC (Channel 4 in Albuquerque) on Thursday, May 21, beginning a 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time (For other communities, check your local listings). The show will feature stand-up comedy, parodies, sketch comedy, musical performances and short films about the cause. Red Nose Day encourages viewers and participants to “Have fun, raise money and change lives.” 

The U.S. Red Nose Day will benefit a dozen organizations: Boys & Girls Clubs of America, charity: water, Children’s Health Fund, Feeding America, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, The Global Fund, LIFT, National Council of La Raza, National Urban League, Oxfam America, Save the Children, and United Way.  Here is a promo from NBC featuring actress Gina Rodriguez.

Red Noses at the Corrales Growers Market

 Kathy has been wearing the red nose to prompt her friends and acquaintances to watch the telethon. She also wore the prop at the Corrales Growers market, where she and other NM Oxfam Action Corps volunteers posed with merchants to bring attention to the telethon. "I've had a lot of fun with this," said Kathy.

Local New Mexico Oxfam Action Corps volunteers have also joined the Twitter campaign to promote #RedNoseDay. "Walgreens and Lift retweeted one of my tweets," said Kathy.

#RedNoseDay @OxfamAction @OxfamAmerica @Walgreens @nbc #lol Tune in 7c #Laughingforacause @LIFTCommunities pic.twitter.com/IKj0qhOPj7

— Oxfam Albuquerque (@abqactioncorps) May 19, 2015