Group's goal: Leave 'em laughing By Jenica Lopez, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Saturday, June 29, 2002 BOYNTON BEACH -- The Humor Alliance for Healthy Attitudes specializes in exactly what its acronym reads: HAHA. "We laugh for the benefit of laughter. Laughter is healing," said Janet Lifshin, founder of the 4-month-old Palm Beach County-based organization and a "certified laughter teacher." "Children need 400 laughs a day to be healthy. Adults usually only get 10 to 15," she said. "We need 100 laughs a day to remain healthy." Through a series of exercises, Lifshin will teach families how to laugh at Monday's monthly HAHA meeting. "The exercises are therapeutic," Lifshin said, as she placed her hands in a namaste position, with palms touching and her thumb leaning against her chest resembling a yoga exercise. She then cheerily said, "Ho Ho Ha Ha," using a tone that could have competed with Santa Claus. Lifshin then started to clap. "Clapping your hands practices acupuncture and laughing brings oxygen into the body," she said. Monday's meeting will include dinner, entertainment, a speaker and lessons by the laughter club. "The specific protocol of the laughter club is to practice laughter exercises, sensible living," Lifshin said. "This is a special event for children and for the adults to be children, too." Lifshin became interested in humor and laughter as a means of therapy after her husband died in 1994. "Laughter was a way for me to heal from my grief. I love it. I need to laugh. I'll go into withdrawal if I don't," she said with a giggle. In addition to coordinating HAHA, Lifshin started Lighthearted Enterprises, a corporation that offers educational seminars and workshops on laughter to businesses and medical corporations. "I've found my passion in laughter and a way to make it work for me to help other people," she said. Some of the topics include Strategies to Being Happy and The Healing Power of Love and Laughter. The HAHA meetings are held on the first of every month and with a specific theme aimed at teaching people the importance of humor and laughter. The meeting will be from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the game room at the Pete Rose Ball Park Cafe, 1601 N. Congress, Ave., Boynton Beach, and will feature Tootsie the Clown, singer Jane Gray Ford, raffles, and free ice cream for kids. For more information call 478-8380 or e-mail Lightheartedfl@aol.com.