St. Aloysius School’s Virtual Christmas Program Spreads Joy to Military Family
The Ramos family has four children, three of which attend St. Aloysius School in Tulare, Calif. Their father, Sergeant Alejandro Ramos, was deployed to Afghanistan for a year-long tour of duty right around the time COVID-19 started rearing its ugly head in March. While this won’t be the first holiday Alejandro will miss spending with his family, it will be the first time he will be missing an entire year’s worth of celebrations – Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, wedding anniversary, and more.
When Alejandro’s wife Kayla learned that St. Aloysius School would be taking its annual Christmas Program “virtual,” it brought an unexpected moment of joy for the Ramos family. Alejandro would be able to watch his three school-aged children – Neveah, grade 2; Ariana, grade 1; and Genesis, Junior Kindergarten – perform, just like every other parent!
“We were so excited when we found out that my husband was going to be able to log in and experience our children’s performances, just like every other St. Aloysius family,” said Kayla Ramos. “It seems so simple, but being able to share in the exact same experience at the exact same time, that is no little thing when you are a father stationed half a world away, overseas from your wife and little ones.”
But this isn’t the first time the Ramos family has felt supported by the St. Aloysius School community. In celebration of the recent Veteran’s Day, Mrs. Tessie Griesbach, Naveah’s second grade teacher, suggested all of the second grade students write letters of appreciation to Naveah’s dad, which Mrs. Griesbach then compiled and mailed to Sergeant Ramos to receive in time for Thanksgiving.
“That’s something that has been so heartwarming about our experience with St. Aloysius School,” said Kayla Ramos. “For not being in a ‘military town,’ it’s amazing to see the appreciation and support the school community has shown for the military, and for our family.”
The virtual St. Aloysius School Christmas Program will be part of a live-streamed fundraising event called the Holiday Extravaganza on Wednesday, December 2 from 6-7 P.M. It’s St. Aloysius School’s annual holiday auction that is typically one of the year’s largest fundraising events for the Junior Kindergarten through eighth grade school, and this year it will be taking place completely online.
Holiday Extravaganza tickets are still available for purchase for $100, which in addition to providing access to the Christmas Program, will also enter ticket holders into drawings for cash and raffle prizes. No ticket is necessary to bid in the online auction. For more information, visit www.bidpal.net/holidayextravaganza2020.