Page 20 - ATA

A14 LOCAL
Thursday 6 June 2019

Love for Aruba, A Story of Family Barbato/ Lomauro:

EAGLE BEACH — For most people,
Aruba is simply a tropical get-
away, a chance to indulge in the
finer things the island has to offer
including but not limited to its food,
beaches, and family activities.

For Mary Ann, Nicole, Tommy, Chris,
Amanda, Gabrielle, Tom Tom, Kris-
ten, Brooke, Reece, Uncle Bobby,
Sal, Michael, and all of the friends
they have made on the island over
the last 30 years, Aruba is a home
away from home. Before her passing
in 2016, Great Grandma Sally came
along every year as well, making it
4 generations of our family present
on the island. Chris even brought his
girlfriend Jessica along this year for
her first Aruba experience.

In 1989, Mary Ann made the impulse
decision to test the Caribbean wa-
ters of Aruba. She had not heard
much about the island, but Mary
Ann is a risk-taker, and this is a risk
that led to three decades of Aru-
ba vacationing and a multitude of
friendships created along the way.
She was hardly in the financial posi-
tion to purchase her timeshare when
she did, but at the time she knew an
opportunity to own a piece of Aru-
ba was one she could not pass up.

Aruba has done more for our fam-
ily than simply affording us a tropi-
cal island getaway for one week of
each year. It has fostered ties with
lifelong friends and provided us with
endless fun, laughter, and com-
Send us Your Home Greetings Video fort. Every one of the children in our
family learned to swim in the Aru-
ba Beach Club pool. Nicole, Mary
Ann’s daughter, met her husband
ORANJESTAD – Since a while Aruba Today has a other materials, you give permission to The Aruba Tommy in Aruba, and their four chil-
column called Aruba To Me. Readers are invited Today Newspaper, Caribbean Speed Printers and
to send their favorite vacation picture along with a any of its affiliated companies to use said materi- dren have been visiting the island
annually for their entire lives. Without
text starting with “Aruba to me is …”. The column als, as well as names, likeness, etc. for promotional
grew in popularity making the editorial department purposes without compensation. Aruba, it is unclear what our family
tree would look like today.
happy seeing this interaction with our readers real- Last but not least: check out our website and
ized. Facebook page! Thank you for supporting our free Whether it be the sunset cruise,
newspaper, we strive to make you a happy reader
It is wonderful to share the moments of joy of our every day again.q competitive beach volleyball, hap-
py hour at Ricardo’s, gambling at
readers who are vacationing here, but we can
also imagine that there are people home who the Alhambra, or simply watching
the sunset with our feet in the sand
stayed behind and who are being missed. Aruba
Today would like to give the opportunity to you as after a long day of activities, there
never seems to be a moment lack-
an appreciated reader to send a live greeting to
your beloved ones that stayed behind. It can be ing in happiness and fulfillment for
our family in Aruba.
your parent, child, sister, brother, neighbor who
takes care of the cat, friends … name it. Now is Even when Tommy, a diehard Yan-
your chance, send us your Home Greetings Video!
What Do You Do kees fan hailing from Bronx, NY, is
greeted by the cab driver at the
The only thing you need to do is record a short
(maximum 1 minute) video with a greeting to home airport with a Boston Red Sox sign
reading: “Cataldo Family. #1 Red
from Aruba and send it to email news@arubato-
day.com. Also please write your name and where Sox fans” by ways of the antics of
our longtime family friend, Sal, the
you are from as well as how long you will be staying
in Aruba. We will post your video on the Facebook beautiful island breeze hitting your
face as you walk out of the airport
page of Aruba Today!
Please do note: By submitting photos, text or any makes getting burned by Sal not so
bad. q