March Madness with the Irish- Get Your Green On!
Deidra Bowling-Meade
The Ashland Beacon
March Madness is upon on us! Brackets will be made and broken, but the fun of the season still continues. Holy Family School in Ashland is putting a different spin on March Madness by hosting a variety of activities Irish style that will bring excitement to the area. As soon as March 1 rolled around, Rhonda Suman, who is the Director of Development at Holy Family School, declared “Get your green on!” If basketball isn’t your forte, you can still participate in several events. Make sure to buy your tickets to celebrate March with the Irish. All events are open for the community to attend.
The fun started on Friday, March 3 when Holy Family School kicked off the month with Basketball Night with Twist & Turns. Two basketball games were hosted with Holy Family’s Ashland Youth Basketball League in grades K-3 playing each other and then Holy Family’s Middle School vs. Holy Family’s High School. It wasn’t your typical basketball games but more like a version of the Harlem Globetrotters. Principal Boos and parent Brian Listerman were the funny commentators for the event. Coaches and even a priest checked into the game! A leprechaun served concessions in the stand. The elementary cheerleaders and boy coaches added extra pep to the games. Dunking contests, half court shots, split the pot, and door prizes also made the night jam packed. The stands were full of smiling and screaming fans. Brandi Cumpton, who teaches at Holy Family, was the main planner of the event. Cumpton commented, “The sole purpose in planning this even was for the Irish Family to unwind, have fun and celebrate a successful season for all AYBL, middle school and high school players. The money raised will go to support the athletics at the school.” This event was definitely a success, and hopefully will be a new tradition for the Irish.
March 11-18 will kickoff Irish Heritage Week, which includes a 5K race, open house, fish fry, and Luck o’ the Irish Party. The proceeds for the 5K race and Luck o’ the Irish Party will provide funding to Holy Family School for technology and tuition assistance. It’s the biggest fundraising event for the Irish. Suman commented, “I never realized until being a part of Holy Family how much money it takes to run a school. The parish subsidizes so much. We are extremely blessed. It’s hard work to raise money, but I have wonderful people to work with and that helps things stay positive. Everyone is so receptive. We are definitely testing the waters this year with fundraisers since Covid, but people want to get out and do things. This is a fun event with so much going on!” Registration to walk/run in the Leprechaun 5K race is still open. Tickets for the Luck o’ the Irish Party are also still available; however, they are selling out fast! The cost of a ticket is $100, which includes the admission of two adults with six drink passes, hors d’oeuvres and one entry into the raffle. Silent auction baskets, handmade class crafts, and split the pot will also give you more ways to bring home some prizes that night. Only 300 tickets are printed and more than $8,000 in prizes will be rewarded. All contributions are tax deductible. Order your tickets today! Please call or email Rhonda Suman: 606.922.3798 or
Holy Family School Open House is also a part of the Irish March events. It is geared toward anyone who has an interest or curiosity about Holy Family Catholic School. The Knights of Columbus Fish Fry is the same evening. The Knights of Columbus will be serving fish tacos prepared by El Colonial in Russell. Principal Boos remarked, “It’s a great opportunity for not only our school & Parish, but the overall community to come together as we prepare for Easter. We will be showcasing all our academic & extracurricular programs. Each classroom or grade group will have information or activities for visiting families. We are excited to show our academic excellence, the closeness of our school community, and our dedication to Christian formation.” Pre-registration for the 2023-2024 school year ends on March 24, so the Open House is a wonderful opportunity to check out the school before the deadline.
The Irish will wrap up March Madness on Saturday, March 25 with the Super Heroes Mother/Son Dance. Holy Family School’s PTO Secretary Erin Womack has been working long hours with her committee to plan the ultimate party for mothers and sons. Womack stated, “Mothers and sons can expect to have fun music, games, crafts, professional photos, prizes, and kid friendly food in a safe and fun environment. We are so excited to be able to bring this to the community. Every year we hear about father/daughter dances in the community that are wonderful, but I am a mother of two boys and wonder where the events are that tailor to moms like me, where we can have our own special night out with our boys to make memories that will hopefully last a lifetime. I hope this is that event, and we can continue to put this on year after year with a fun theme every year. This event gives members of the community a chance to gather together and celebrate moms and sons and that special relationship. I hope that people will come out and have a great evening and take the time to see how special our school is and what we have to offer! Holy Family is a tight knit community of great families and we would love to have the community involved in the great things that are happening here!” Tickets are $20 for mother/son or $25 mother/2 or more sons. Tickets may be purchased at the following link:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/holyfamilycatholicschool/864117
There is no better way to celebrate March than participating in the events at Holy Family School. Principal Boos remarked, “I want everyone in Ashland and beyond to know about the great things happening at Holy Family. Holy Family has a long tradition of excellence. Whether it be our advanced academic programs, the revitalization of athletics, or our focus on Christian values, there is a lot of excitement about the work we’re doing. We want everyone to come and see.” Come get your green on and visit Holy Family!
Holy Family School March Events:
- Sat. March 11 - Leaping Leprechaun 5K 6:30 a.m.
- Wed. March 15 - Community Lenten Prayer at Holy Family, light lunch afterward 12 p.m.
- Fri. March 17 - Open House & Knights of Columbus Fish Fry 5-7 p.m.
- Sat. March 18 - Luck of the Irish Party at Ashland Elks Lodge 7-Midnight
- Sat. March 25 Super Heroes Mother/Son Dance 6-8 p.m. at Holy Family Gymnasium