“Daniel Tiger Brings Joy to Fort Cavazos Kids with Charitable Surprises and Gift Cards!”

FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — The Tom Ramsey Foundation, a charitable organization, teamed up with Austin PBS to offer a thousand children in Fort Cavazos a day filled with fun featuring Daniel Tiger — the protagonist of “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” a musical animated TV series developed by PBS KIDS — engaging activities, along with a $75 gift card to acquire a bicycle or whatever other necessities the family may require.

The occasion occurred on Dec. 14, 2024, at Abrams Physical Fitness Center, marking the first such event at the installation since 2020, when The Tom Ramsey Foundation, formerly known as the Celebration of Love, donated over a thousand bicycles. The organization opted to collaborate with Austin PBS to provide a unique experience for the children at the installation.

“(This event) signifies a lot to us,” stated Tom Ramsey, chairman and founder of The Tom Ramsey Foundation. “What better way to commemorate our children at the year’s end. … I can hardly think of children more deserving of being cherished during the holidays than our military children.”

The event also allowed Austin PBS to exhibit the resources accessible to Fort Cavazos families and how they strive to be excellent neighbors.

“There are two primary objectives (for Austin PBS’ involvement),” clarified Benjamin Kramer, chief education officer with Austin PBS. “One is to demonstrate to the Fort Cavazos community that Austin PBS is their local station for PBS content. We want to be here and communicate, ‘We’re here and we’re members of your neighborhood just as you are of ours.’

“The second aim, of course, pertains specifically to the event: to honor the holidays, to provide families activities they can enjoy with their children during the holidays, and to convey the message of ‘Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,’ emphasizing that we all are good neighbors and that it’s a wonderful time of year to express gratitude to those in our lives,” Kramer added. “… We recognize that military families lead intricate lives, and this serves as a way for us to come here and convey, ‘We’re here for you. We hope you’re engaging with our media. If you’re utilizing our media, we hope your children are gaining knowledge from it.’”

Following the meet and greet with Daniel Tiger, Evalynn Hosea, 2, couldn’t stop reasserting that she met him. Sierra Hosea, an Army spouse and Evalynn’s mother, mentioned that Evalynn adores Daniel Tiger, although she was a bit intimidated to meet him.

Interactions like these left Ramsay feeling that the event was significant.

“To comprehend the sacrifices our families make for us to enjoy our freedoms,” Ramsay noted, “there are no words that could adequately express that (significance), aside from returning here to serve and give back to our children.”