Family raising money for those out of work right now
When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.
When life takes the lemons - and everything else away - from the bartenders, the Tramo family of Hamilton is making lemonade for them.
OK fine. That metaphor was DOA, but whatever: The Tramos - Mia, 13, Raffaele, 11, and Gemma, 8 - along with an assist from their parents, Benny and Krissy - have started a GoFundMe page with the express purpose of helping out Hamilton workers who are currently out of business. Meaning, people who can’t work from home. Meaning, my failed-metaphor bartender on down. And up. And out in every which way.
“My wife - who is a teacher - and I used the situation as a teaching opportunity,” said Benny. “We talked about how virus is impacting lives and business, and how we’re lucky enough to work from home, but there’s many people who have jobs in restaurants, or are hairstylists, or any number of people who are unable to go to work and unable to make money.”
Mom and dad - no social media fiends, as they (gasp!) don’t even have a Facebook page watched in awe as their kids leapt into action.
“Mia said, ‘let’s start a GoFundMe page,’ and they were off and running,” Benny said. “It’s the kids’ project, we help and guide, but it’s really all them. Mia really helped in putting together a story, my son took the lead on the computer by creating the page and thanking everyone as the donations come in, and my youngest - the only not shy one in the family - was happy to go in front of camera and record the video.”
To date, the page - gofundme. com/f/covid19-worker039s-relief-fund - has collected nearly $2,000, and the Tramos hope to work with Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin to help distribute the funds. (And it’s going to be more than $2,000, right readers???) (Oh, and this just in: Martin has Tramo’s number now. They’ll be connecting.)
“We’re at $1,800 right now, but there’s a big difference between $1,800 or $18,000. We would love to help as many families as we possibly could, dependent on how much we raise.”
In the meantime, the Tramos - like countless other families in Hamilton, Mercer Country, New Jersey, America, North America, and the rest of the world - are finding themselves under lockdown conditions and trying to make the best of it.
And they are. In fact, they’re practically a poster family for life under quarantine.
“We have a crazy, active lifestyle,” Benny said. “Kids all over the place, soccer and baseball and dance, the kids are eating different times, I’m working late … So yes, the silver lining is we get to spend a lot more time as a family.”
Krissy Tramo, a first grade teacher at Robinson, put it best. (Before we get to the quote to end this column, I’m telling you: Wives and mothers are the MVPs of this coronavirus. We men need to get a statue committee working for when this is over.
“It gave us, personally, an opportunity to slow down,” Krissy said. “At end of the day, it’s an opportunity to spend time together. And with the GoFundMe page, we decided to try and make some good out of a sad situation.”