Mary Popovich has done a lot of things in her life.

She has been a coal miner, an emergency medical technician, a paramedic and emergency services trainer, an athletic trainer and an instructor at California University of Pennsylvania.

She also is Mary the Magical Clown.

In January, Ms. Popovich, 55, will take on her latest challenge: She will become the first female mayor of West Newton, a position that she won as a Republican in a predominantly Democratic town.

"I am coming with a clean slate, and this is a slate for change and moving forward positively," she said. "I am going to do my very best."

Ms. Popovich will take over at a time when West Newton -- population of about 2,800 -- is struggling with empty storefronts and uncertain economic restructuring in a distressed economy.

"I remember when I was growing up here, every shop was full," she said. "We had a shoe store, a drugstore, soda shop, banks and a movie theater."

West Newton's history began with the first settlers in 1731 and a permanent settlement in 1776.

The river has always been a draw. Today, the Youghiogheny River Trail links to other trails, one going to Pittsburgh, one eventually going to Washington, D.C.

West Newton's downtown streets are lined with charming 19th-century buildings, and nearby some are even older. For years Downtown West Newton Inc. has been trying to revitalize the community with plans to attract new businesses.

Ms. Popovich was on council a few years ago. Then and in the recent election, some of her detractors, she said, made snide remarks about Mary the Magical Clown.

But she turned that to her advantage with the campaign slogan, "No clowning around: Popovich for mayor."

"I'm not ashamed of that clown mission," she said. "I try to give people happy moments."

Ms. Popovich's devotion to public service began in 1973 when her sister was seriously injured in a car accident, and a member of the West Newton Ambulance Service took Ms. Popovich to the hospital to be with her.

She was so impressed with how the emergency personnel responded and how they treated her sister the next day, she joined the ambulance service. She started in first aid and advanced to EMT, paramedic and paramedic II.

"I took instructor courses and kept going as high as you can with emergency medicine," she said.

Along the way, she worked in safety and as a laborer in four local coal mines. An injury forced her to pursue a new career at California University, where she graduated in 1998 with a bachelor's degree in athletic training.

"It kind of correlated with my experience with emergency medicine because things happen in sports where you can have critical injuries," she said. "The two kind of blend in."

Ms. Popovich returned to Cal U. for a master's degree and recently stopped pursuing a doctorate. At her age, she said, it didn't make sense to put in so much more time and money.

She worked at her alma mater as an assistant in athletic training in the department of health sciences and is now the instructor and coordinator of the EMT program that is required for undergraduate athletic trainers.

She also has coordinated and taught classes for Mutual Aid Ambulance Service in Greensburg, the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross. She has been a state evaluator for EMT training and recently became a nationally certified instructor.

In December 2003, Ms. Popovich participated in a program to train doctors in emergency services in India, where ambulances are primitive, supplies are limited and no priorities exist in emergency rooms.

"If you're having a heart attack, you're still No. 54 and you might die before you get help," she said.

A tsunami hit India the day she arrived, wiping out a beach where she would have been relaxing before training. A six-hour delay at the airport, however, had left her exhausted, so she stayed at the hotel instead to take a nap.

Ms. Popovich got into clowning in 1985 when she was taking a class at Cal U. on adaptive physical fitness for children with special needs.

"I didn't have any background in that, but the instructor, Dr. Angela Zondas, really had an impact on me," she said.

"I learned how the children really responded to music and repetitive activities, and I thought if it worked for them, why not for children who didn't have special needs?"

From that came Mary the Magical Clown, who wears a long blond wig, white face and a Marilyn Monroe-style beauty mark. The countenance is nonthreatening for a reason.

"It's amazing how many children are afraid of clowns -- and I was, too, when I was young. So I always have a smiley face. Then when you put on your clown face, you're happy, too. Being a clown is a great way to release stress and to have fun."

Ms. Popovich takes her act to private parties, schools and festivals and has volunteered in nursing homes and hospitals.

"People say that I make it look so easy, and that's because I like to engage the audience," she said.

"I like to involve everyone in what I do. I have student-centered learning and child-centered play, and as mayor I want to have people-centered government. The people need to get their voices back into government.

"I also want to involve the police in children's and safety programs and become more active in the community in a positive role. I will not embrace negative thoughts, and if we don't band together and try to make our community safer and progressive, I don't know where we are going to end up."

In July, Ms. Popovich bought a motorcycle, joined a club then took her first 200-mile ride in November. It was a challenge because not only was she afraid, but she also had the memory of her father being killed on a motorcycle when she was 12.

"Working in emergency medicine and in hospitals, I have seen that bad things do happen, but good things happen, too. You just have to live your life."

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