Making a Difference: Margarita de Jesus Ramos

Third in a series about five fitness pros who are impacting their communities outside the health club.

As fitness sponsor of the 129^th Rose Parade, 24 Hour Fitness has embraced the parade’s theme, “Making a Difference,” by inviting team members to tell us how they make a difference in their community. Their amazing stories are deeply moving. Over the next few weeks, we’re sharing five of their stories on 24Life.

Name: Margarita de Jesus Ramos
Title: GX24® Aqua Instructor and Personal Trainer, Castro Valley, Calif.

“My goal in life is to promote love, joy and inspire those in my sphere of influence to realize that life is beautiful,” Margarita de Jesus Ramos says.

And life is certainly more beautiful with Ramos around. For the past 11 years, she has volunteered for the Bread of Life Ministry in Castro Valley, helping to provide home-cooked meals and showers to 35 to 45 homeless people every single Monday, holidays included.

“It’s like Thanksgiving every Monday!” she says. “We never know the exact amount of guests, but we are always blessed with enough food.”

Ramos is also a member of the school board at St. Joachim School and a member of the Castro Valley Rotary Club, which serves the local community and the world though initiatives such as its campaign to eliminate polio. And that’s on top of giving back as a group exercise aqua instructor and personal trainer for 24 Hour Fitness.

“Before making any decision, I pray that whatever I do has eternal value,” Ramos explains. “It’s not about me.”

Photo credit: shironosov, Thinkstock (hero); courtesy of Margarita de Jesus Ramos