When it comes to clowning with a purpose, Patch Adams is the quintessential Clown Prince of  the Universe.   Many Ashevillians first learned of Patch Adams a few years back when the Robin Williams portrayed Patch in the biographical movie filmed right here in Asheville.   But the film isn’t the only local connection to the pied piper for positive clowning.

Local Musicians Ash Devine and veteran Asheville clown Charlotte Huggins will travel with Patch Adams and a host of clowns on a humanitarian trip to Haiti from March 1^st to March 8^th.

The Asheville Music Scene recently spoke with Ash and Charlotte about the upcoming trip.

AMS:  So tell us a little about the upcoming trip?

ASH: We will be spending the week at an orphanage and a disabled children's hospital, we will interact with them, play games and hopefully bring joy to their community.  Clowns from all over the country will be going down with Patch and it should be a moving experience.   The goal of the group is to bring love, share compassion and fun to the children whom we visit.

Charlotte:   We are working with the organization Haiti Children (founded, funded, and organized by Susie Krabacher  (www.haitichildren.com) in Port-au-Prince, visiting orphanages, schools, children's hospital wings, a facility for abandoned babies, and an orphanage for severely handicapped children.  We will visit 2 to 3 facilities every day and spend time playing, laughing, tickling, jumping around, hugging, and generally being elated with everyone we meet.  Gesundheit! Institute has been wanting to go to Haiti for a while.  We try to go to places worldwide that are in the most need of positive, loving human interaction.  Right now Haiti is having a bad, bad time.  There is lots of political, social, economic, and ecological turmoil.  This will be our first visit to Haiti, which is exciting and also requires a lot of planning and logistics for keeping everyone safe and making sure that everyone has an excellent, impacting time.

AMS:  How long will you be down there?

ASH:  We will be going to Haiti March 1st-March 8th. This is our spring break from UNCA and we are glad it worked out for us to have the available time to travel.