Christmas on Campus is an annual event sponsored by Chaminade University’s Campus Ministry that is not only put on by students, it is also planned by students to bring families from the Palolo Homes to the Chaminade campus. Through this, the families are able to enjoy a Christmas dinner buffet and a Christmas show.
“Christmas is a season of giving back,” Rodriguez said. “Through Christmas on Campus, we can give back to these deserving families.”
This year it will take place on the evening of Dec. 6, and the order of events have changed. The festivities will now begin with mass at six p.m., and families are invited to attend. Danny O’Regan, director of Campus Ministry, is supportive of this new idea.
“This year we want to ensure that Christmas on Campus is tied more into faith,” O’Regan said. “This mass will be a Christian celebration.”
Immediately following the mass, families and students will walk down to the Henry Hall Courtyard to eat a Christmas dinner. Chaminade students Pomaika’inani Chandler, Nikko Magtoto, and Charo Rodriguez have taken the responsibility of planning the event. The Christmas mass begins the festivities, and would not be possible without the efforts of Magtoto. Magtoto, a Chaminade sophomore plays the piano and invited other musicians from St. Joseph parish to provide music for the mass. Andrew Simbahon, Walter Madamba, Ozzie and Deavon Jaramillo will lend their talents to the mass on the drums and solo, lead, and bass guitars.
Magtoto, Chandler, and Rodriguez also thought that it was important for Chaminade clubs to be a part of the Christmas on Campus entertainment. This year, Chaminade’s Hawaiian Club, Indigo Lotus Club, and Temana Tahitian Club will give performances throughout the dinner.
The students performing will also be able to serve as volunteers at the event. Student volunteers can help set up, serve food, and help with activities. This year, however, Campus Ministry is limiting the number of student volunteers helping at Christmas on Campus. This will ensure that the students are able to interact more with the families, and it will create a smaller, close-knit environment for the event.
Ten Chaminade clubs will sponsor 10 families. One club sponsors a family by buying gifts for each of the family members.
“We were sure to let the clubs know that they should equally buy for each child,” O’Regan said. Some departments, such as Chaminade Residence Life, will be donating Foodland gift cards to a raffle, which the families can enter.
For Chandler, a Chaminade sophomore, this is her second year planning Christmas on Campus.
“I’m looking forward to coming back this year to serve the families,” Chandler said. “We want the event to be enjoyable for each family.”
Magtoto, Chandler, and Rodriguez say they that they are sure the event will be a blessed time of laughter because O’Regan will be telling jokes, and Kaipo Leopoldino will be the master of ceremonies along with Genevieve Krier. All of these participants are giving their time to participate in Christmas on Campus. Magtoto was inspired by the quote by Pastor Juan Antonio of the Dominican Republic.
“Nobody is so poor that they can’t give, and nobody is so rich that they don’t have needs,” he recalled him saying.
O’Regan believes that this event is an opportunity for Chaminade students to give back to the community, and that Christmas on Campus speaks well of Chaminade.
“I believe that we can all give something to those that need it,” said Magtoto. “Christmas on Campus does that.”
