Every year, thousands of American’s apply for the opportunity to volunteer to decorate the White House for the holiday season, but only around 150 are selected.
This year, Lake Charles florist Kaila Ramos, owner of The Flower Shop of Lake Charles and The Flower Shop of Iowa, will head to Washington, D.C., the week of Thanksgiving to lend her skills.
“In the flower world, we're all a big community of florists here throughout the United States, and so I've seen where other florists have had the opportunity to go, and I told myself last year that I was going to look into it,” Ramos said. “So, whenever I saw that the applications opened in July, I decided to apply, and I was just super excited because as a florist, you know, I just thought it would be super cool to be able to contribute to the White House Christmas decorating.”
The Flower Shop of Lake Chaales Owner Kaila Ramos poses with her flower arangements.
Photo Courtesy of Kaila Ramos
On the application, Ramos had to answer many questions on how she would be able to contribute to the decorating process and what part of the decorating process would work for her, either Nov. 23 through 25, Nov. 27 through 29 or both.
By the beginning of October, Ramos had forgotten she applied until she looked down at her phone and saw an email from the White House.
“It was so exciting,” Ramos said. “I stopped whatever I was doing immediately and told my husband and my mom.”
Ramos was selected for the first half of the volunteering, which will focus more on preparation for the presidential residence’s annual Christmas adornment.
“We'll be at like a facility that's not at the White House at the beginning of the week, and we'll be preparing … the decorations we need, the amount of it (and) if there's anything we can put together off-site, we'll do that",” Ramos said. “Then on Wednesday, we will move to the White House, and we'll start the beginning parts of decorating from what I've been told.”
After Ramos leaves, the next group will come in and finish the decorating.
While she's at the White House interacting with staff, Ramos said she doesn't know if she will have the opportunity to meet First Lady Melania Trump, who oversees the annual Christmas decorating, or President Donald Trump.
As a volunteer opportunity, Ramos is responsible for all travel and other expenses, aside from the breakfast and lunch she will receive during the three days of volunteering.
“I'm super grateful that I'm having this opportunity,” Ramos said. “I'm excited to bring a little bit of Southwest Louisiana over there and get to contribute as part of the volunteer team. I'm also super excited to meet other people that are either in the same industry as me or have a love for our country that can't wait to be over there and volunteering for something like this.”