As we bid farewell to the holiday season and say hello to a new year I’d like for us to take a moment and remember a few major events from the previous year. During the recent months the nation’s economy has fallen to its lowest in many years, many families have become homeless due to due to the economic downturn, and many families have suffered losses due to natural disasters. My relatives have been one of those families and I would like to share their story with you.
The morning of November 15 felt like a typical Saturday. Yet, what I was about to discover was that this day would change my life and the lives of my relatives forever. I awoke to the panic of my mother’s voice saying that the Oakridge Mobile Home Park was on fire. My mind immediately went to find my seven relatives, who at the time, were living at the mobile home park. It turned out that my relatives had been evacuated and my parents were on the way to bring them back to our home. I was relieved that they would be staying with us, but very concerned with the destruction that the fire had caused. We sat in front of the television for hours with panic and disbelief. We could not believe that the Oakridge Mobile Home Park that they once called home had gone up in flames. A few days later we had received confirmation that the two of the three homes that my relatives had lived in had gone up in the flames.
Two days later and our family was still in shock, we could not believe the devastation. Monday, November 17 came and it was time to try to get back to the usual routine. Go to school, go to practice, and continue on with what was left.
Thanks to many generous and caring Alemany families, my relatives were able to begin to readjust with the prayers and heartfelt phone calls from many friends and family. That week both Mr. Frank Ferry and Mr. Don Levan did a fantastic job of making sure that school would remain as regular as possible for both my cousins.
This story is just one shining example of a group of people who cared and gave their help to those in need. Thank you very much Alemany parents, staff, teachers, and all of those outside of the Alemany who gave their hearts and prayers and monetary donations to my family. I hope that stories like this have not only remained with you throughout the holiday season, but that they remain within you well into the year. Thank you to all our Alemany family we have had you in our hearts and prayers throughout the holiday season and will continue to do so throughout the New Year.
Happy New Year,
Kristelle Padilla ('08)
The morning of November 15 felt like a typical Saturday. Yet, what I was about to discover was that this day would change my life and the lives of my relatives forever. I awoke to the panic of my mother’s voice saying that the Oakridge Mobile Home Park was on fire. My mind immediately went to find my seven relatives, who at the time, were living at the mobile home park. It turned out that my relatives had been evacuated and my parents were on the way to bring them back to our home. I was relieved that they would be staying with us, but very concerned with the destruction that the fire had caused. We sat in front of the television for hours with panic and disbelief. We could not believe that the Oakridge Mobile Home Park that they once called home had gone up in flames. A few days later we had received confirmation that the two of the three homes that my relatives had lived in had gone up in the flames.
Two days later and our family was still in shock, we could not believe the devastation. Monday, November 17 came and it was time to try to get back to the usual routine. Go to school, go to practice, and continue on with what was left.
Thanks to many generous and caring Alemany families, my relatives were able to begin to readjust with the prayers and heartfelt phone calls from many friends and family. That week both Mr. Frank Ferry and Mr. Don Levan did a fantastic job of making sure that school would remain as regular as possible for both my cousins.
This story is just one shining example of a group of people who cared and gave their help to those in need. Thank you very much Alemany parents, staff, teachers, and all of those outside of the Alemany who gave their hearts and prayers and monetary donations to my family. I hope that stories like this have not only remained with you throughout the holiday season, but that they remain within you well into the year. Thank you to all our Alemany family we have had you in our hearts and prayers throughout the holiday season and will continue to do so throughout the New Year.
Happy New Year,
Kristelle Padilla ('08)