APHCV sponsored a free annual children’s check-up and immunization day that Saturday morning, with its traditional "Joy of Reading with Santa Claus" annual book reading with great free foods and drinks, and a visit from Asian Santa Claus for free keepsake photos to each visiting child.  RTI was happy to learn that it would be the featured performer to vamp for time before St. Nick arrived for his annual wish list seating.  Earl Baylon, Kris Clemente, James Lui and Elson Trinidad were inspired by the smiling faces of all the little ones to perform a 2-1/2 hour set including traditional and ethnic caroling, Christmas-themed scenes, educational skits and improvised story-telling -- all capping the wet and misty morning off with a very enthusiastic and creative act-out of "T'was The Night Before Christmas" to the delight of all the many children, parents and staff in amazed attendance.

 

We are proud to have been invited to bring the performing arts and the unique cultural talents of RTI to the Asian-Pacific community this holiday season, and especially to those disadvantaged kids and families who probably have never seen or heard improvised theatre ever before.  But thanks to Elson's quick-thinking at desiring to warm the hearts of the many children who probably only knew APHCV as the "place they get flu shots" - a whole new group of future creative thinkers may have been born that wet, but joy-filled and happy Saturday in December.  After all, who knew the greatest present in the entire World could be a simple cupcake?