John Clements Celebrates with the Children of San Nicolas
by Paul Catiang

“Giving smiles back to street children,” is the motto of the Virlanie Foundation, Inc., the largest private, non-sectarian child-caring institution in Manila. On Saturday, November 25, 2006, smiles abounded as John Clements brought 70 of the foundation’s children to the McDonald’s branch on JP Rizal for an afternoon of fun, games and sharing in the spirit of Christmas.

Called the Children of San Nicolas, the charity event is an acknowledgment of John Clements’s need to give back to its community. Games were played, with the Virlanie Foundation’s children playing side-by-side with John Clements employees revisiting their childhood days, both groups singing along to the children’s songs blaring over the loudspeakers and finding common ground even in the few hours they spent together.

The children were showered with many gifts, all from John Clements employees, and in a show of appreciation, some of the children had prepared a dance number for their benefactors. The highlight of the afternoon for the children was, however, the appearance of McDonald’s mascots, Kid McDo and Grimace.

All in all, the event was one afternoon of fun, games and goodwill, shared in the Christmas spirit.

The Virlanie Foundation was established in 1992 by Dominique Lemay, who is also the foundation’s current president. It operates 13 residential homes, providing shelter, food, education and love to over a thousand disadvantaged children. The foundation also runs a volunteer program and enjoys sponsorship from both local and foreign benefactors.