Virtual Russia Clown Tour 2020


November 2022 | Moscow, Russia

Dear Clowns!!!

Here’s an update about the 2021 Russian Clown trip….

Currently, while Russia is open to travel for some countries, it’s not possible to organize visits to institutions (orphanages, homeless shelters, etc) due to COVID. So this year we will not have a Russian clown trip .

Our partner in Russia, Maria Eliseeva is still going to hold her annual Maria’s Children charity ball on Thursday, 25 November, in Moscow.

There will be some opportunities for online participation, including watching a live transmission of the opening ceremony and taking part in the online silent auction. Details you can find at www.mariaschildren.ru or on their Facebook page.

That being said, rumor has it that some clown veterans are planning to come to Moscow on their own. If your country has airline connections to Russia (some information here from Aeroflot about restrictions and possibilities) and you can arrange a visa (Russia is issuing visas to many nationalities, including Americans) and hotel on your own, you are welcome to come and Maria will save some tickets to the ball for you – but please decide well in advance. If you are coming, please inform Sharon Stein, who will coordinate the ticket purchasing for you! And Maria will be happy to see you at the ball, and join in some street clowning, too!

And keep getting excited about the 2022 Russian Clown trip!

 

Message from Patch

Hello, friends, Patch Adams here, and I’ve got some good news.

I know a lot of you who know and love the Russian clown trip. This year would have been its 36th year! We won’t have the clown trip this year. But on the 12th and 15th of this month, we have two virtual events in Moscow. If you’ve been on a clown trip, or just dreamed about it, we will love it to have you come and join us. Maria and Marina will be there, other friends that you know will be there. On the 12th of November Maria is actually holding an in-person mini-version of her annual charity auction in Moscow, so some of Maria’s Children’s paintings will be available on that day and will be bid for and sold to help support Maria and her work.

The event on Sunday 15th, will be a virtual clown trip through the TIME we’ve shared and the SPACE in our hearts and souls. Maria and I will host, and there will be surprise guests from various moments in the trip. Buses, puppets, and greetings from other friends await! So get in the mood. Wear some clown clothes, fill your glasses, look funny. Belch and fart at will. Let’s remember the great times we had and also anticipate future clown trips to come. As soon as we can have one, we will be there. Remember the 12th and the 15th of November for the faux clown visit to Russia.

I met Maria and Marina 30 years ago or more, an instant connection, and then never letting go.

If there’s one thing I miss during COVID, it’s the clown trips and how great they are. Maybe between now and then, you’ll put on your costume and go somewhere and be goofy. Perhaps even have a story to tell when there’s some free time for clowns to talk. It’s sentimental, and I’m sentimental. I’m a sentimental fool. We’ll be there with you, so come and play.

Do you know what I’m delighted about during this COVID-19 and this extended time of separation? It is that our friends are not separated. They are thrilled to have these weekly connections. These connections are full of great memories of the past and then anticipation for the future. For clowns and friends: love. I think that’s something we feel all the time for each other.

I always tell people: “don’t believe that the Russia trip is the only time you’re going to clown during the year.” You can put things in your pockets, you can have some funny clothes to wear, and every time you clown by yourself, you can feel that your colleagues, your fools, males and females from around the world, are there with you. Enjoy making a fool of yourself at this moment. La-la-la-la-la! Okie Dokie! See you soon-

 

Message from Maria’s Children

Unfortunately, this year the international clown delegation to Russia can’t join Maria’s Children for its annual charity ball fundraiser. But there are some options for you to participate and support Maria’s Children:

You can make a charitable contribution of 4,000 rubles (approximately $50 USD) and gain access to the live stream of the ball, which will take place on Thursday, November 12th starting at 6:30 pm Moscow time (4:30 PM Europe, 10:30 AM East Coast of US, 07:30 West Coast).

Please visit this link to register for the event.

After registration and payment are received, Maria’s Children will send you a link to the live feed of the event via email. As a ball observer, Maria’s Children will send you (once it is possible) one of Maria’s 2021 calendars, and an art souvenir made by Maria’s Children.

You can also register for the silent online auction here: http://silentauction.ru where you can bid on choice pieces of artwork from Maria’s Children and its partners. There will be some delays in sending you the pieces, but we guarantee eventual delivery!

And if you are feeling really benevolent, and want to participate in the LIVE auction, which will be hosted LIVE (but virtual) by Patch Adams, then please register for monitoring the event, as above, AND write to us at mariaschildren@yandex.ru. We’ll make arrangements for your call-in participation.

 

“Real” Coordinators of Virtual Trip

John G. At Red Square 1Patch Adams – entered medical school in 1967 to use medicine as a vehicle for social change; promotes and practices living a life of public joy as a revolutionary act; a fount of ideas for avoiding burn-out in long-term social justice and health. Enthusiator.

Sharon “Shar-Shar” Stein – started volunteering in 1996, has traveled to 54 countries…so far. She met Patch 23 years ago, and put her first red nose on and has laughed ever since!

 

 

Want to Participate?

Registration is currently CLOSED.

We register participants on a first come first serve basis and the trip is known to fill up quickly.

  1. Please Sign up for the Virtual Tour through this Online Registration Form.
  2. Interested in joining Maria’s Children Charity Ball? Register Here for the Ball & be prepared to make your $50.00 contribution.
  3. We will email you the Zoom Meeting details prior to the meeting time.

Questions? Contact Sharon with questions or concerns.


Patch Adams MD & Gesundheit Institute, P.O. Box 307, Urbana, IL 61803

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