AT MANY ORANGE COUNTY Catholic schools, the month of May signifies fun events and memories that will hold through the summer months and beyond. Blessed Sacrament School’s Ohana Night is one such event.
FR. ANTHONY HIEN VU DELIVERS THE OPENING BLESSING AT BLESSED SACRAMENT SCHOOL’S OHANA NIGHT HELD ON MAY 1. PHOTOS BY ALAN WENDELL/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
The May 1 Ohana Night (Ohana is the Hawaiian word for family) was a school Parent-Teacher Organization-sponsored initiative. The PTO group, led by its president Teri Tran-Odoca transformed the grass courtyard at the school into a magical trip across the Pacific to Hawaii.
This event was well supported, with approximately 220 school parents, children and parishioners submitting RSVPs. PTO President Tran-Odoka said of the event. “It has been a dream of mine to bring everyone together and develop an event that revolved around community and family, including everyone from the parish,” said Tran-Odoka. “We wanted to bring Hawaii to Blessed Sacrament.”
CHRISTINE AND GAMA RODRIGUEZ, LONGTIME BLESSED SACRAMENT SCHOOL PARENTS, SIT WITH THEIR CHILDREN MARISSA AND JAMES DURING THE MAY 1 OHANA NIGHT.
She hopes this will become an annual event and grow in the years ahead. Guests were greeted at a registration area decorated with a festive balloon arch, and all attendees were given a brightly colored lei upon entry. An activity area was set up where kids and adults could participate in games such as cornhole, take a try at bending under a limbo bar, or have their faces painted by the artistry of pre-school teachers Stephanie Gallardo and Cecilia Velasquez. Rows of tables and chairs were available for dinner seating, each table decorated with a centerpiece of flowers from the school and church gardens. A stage at the end of the courtyard was also decorated with surfboards and blowup palm trees. This stage would be the area for the evening’s entertainment, featuring an island dance performance by Tran-Odoka’s sister-in-law, who flew in from Hawaii the night before. The evening meal, keeping with the Hawaiian theme, included Chicken Katsu, BBQ chicken, rice, macadamia nut cookies and tropical iced tea.
Blessed Sacrament seventh-graders Juan Corona and Paxton Nguyen supported the event by moving supplies, arranging tables and readying the area prior to the start of the event.
“This event brings students from all grades together, plus, I get to hang out with my friends,” said Corona.
Nguyen added, “It’s a chance to show everyone what a great school community we have at BSS.”
One person uniquely involved in this event and the overall direction of the school is its principal Debra Daniel. She said the Ohana Night is “all about community.”
“We listened to parents who wanted a low-cost, casual event where the entire family could be together. Parents are looking for ways to connect, create memories and celebrate. This event fits into our goal to have one parish, church and school joining together.”
As he joined the festivities and was greeted by school staff, parents, and students, parish administrator Fr. Anthony Vu called the evening “a great community builder and lots of fun for the children.”