On November 6, over 300 adults and 60 children packed into the great hall of Empire Garden Restaurant in Chinatown for the 2010 Fall Frolic, a family social and fundraising event hosted by Buds and Blossoms (B&B) Early Education and Care Center, a Mandarin-immersion childcare program under the Asian American Civic Association (AACA).
The event celebrated children and the excitement of learning. Little ones huddled around various arts and crafts tables to learn about Chinese recreational activities – everything from Chinese calligraphy, chopsticks games, dough figurines, marble games and origami to reading books in Mandarin.
The adults kept themselves busy with bidding in the silent auction. They first walked by the auction table, looked intently at the descriptions of the over 50 items, contemplating which to bid on. These items included oriental rugs, handmade quilts, and gift certificates from local restaurants and salons. Periodically, they walked back to the table, peering over at bidding sheets and strategizing their plans. After all, a bidding war comes down to a matter of timing. Hot items on the list included gift certificates to popular restaurants in town and children’s dress-up costumes.
The highlight of the evening’s program was the performance by the Boston Chinese Dulcimer and Drum Ensemble. Flowing out of these teenage players’ dancing fingers was a beautiful interweaving of Eastern and Western music which kept the audience mesmerized. The group’s breathtaking performance was ensued by a rolling thunder of applause.
The martial arts performance by Wah Lum Kung Fu & Tai Chi Academy equally captured the crowd’s imagination. Watching trained kung fu masters playing with big knives can be quite an adrenaline rush for people of all ages.
Of course, there was the usual fare of banquet and dancing. Children and teens had no qualms jiving to DJ Danny’s special “kiddie dance music.”
State Representative Dorcena Forry showed up with her family at the event. “We have one special guest, Linda Dorcena Forry, who is the state representative from Dorchester, better known as the aunt of Olivier and Stephan,” announced Judy Kilgore, Director of B&B. Forry’s two nephews, Olivier and Stephen, are a graduate and a current student of B&B respectively.
The Fall Frolic was spearheaded by AACA’s Board President Mary Chin and Youth Director Chealyn Tim, along with a team of youth and adult volunteers. Their months of hard work paid off in the big smiles across each guest’s face.
Kilgore has received positive feedback from the parents since the event, “The parents thought that it was so nice to have an opportunity to meet other parents, and to have a chance to be with them and their children in a very Asian venue. They just enjoyed themselves and got to know each other. After all, parents are each other’s best resources. It was a fabulous social event for the parents.”
Through the event, B&B was able raise a significant amount of money that will help the childcare center to keep tuitions down and fund some scholarships. “[Providing scholarships] is really needed to serve the whole diverse community that we want to serve here,” Kilgore explained.
B&B is currently fully enrolled with 45 children: 7 infants, 18 toddlers, 22 children preschoolers. There are still some part-time slots available.
“Full enrollment means that we have children enrolled that keep the classrooms full up to next spring. We have a list that starts in the spring and the summer. People should call and get on the waiting list. For example, someone finds out that they are pregnant. They almost immediately have to look for childcare. Otherwise, they are not going to find childcare [when the baby arrives]. The need to think ahead, a good 9-12 months ahead,” Kilgore added.
In order to care for a full house of young children, B&B keeps 10 full-time and 3 temporary caregivers/teachers on staff. The Center is still seeking qualified early childhood personnel to join the team.
The Fall Frolic would not have been successful without the generosity of Johnny Ip of Cathay Bank, Citizens Bank, Dr. Mary Mendez of Lesley University, Cheng & Tsui Publishing, Carline Durocher, Christina Thompson Lively, Laura Luo, Joyce McCafferty, Teresa Tsui and Sonya Wang.
