150 of the Lower Mainland’s most physically, mentally, and socially challenged kids enjoyed the day of their lives yesterday as they made a whirlwind tour of Disneyland thanks to the Dreams Take Flight program. Ten of those kids were invited from Union Gospel Mission’s Families and Children’s programs.
The kids said goodbye to their parents and boarded their own plane at the crack of dawn yesterday, and were be given fanny packs and cameras. After their day on the rides, they got $30 of Disney money to spend on souvenirs, and the chance to visit Mickey Mouse at his house.
“There is nothing quite like seeing the look on a child’s face when you tell them that they are going to Disneyland in a few days...”
This incredible one-day marathon journey was the brainchild of Air Canada employees who, from pilots to baggage people, volunteer their time to take these vulnerable children on a plane for the first time, to a magical land they would otherwise never visit.
“There is nothing quite like seeing the look on a child’s face when you tell them that they are going to Disneyland in a few days,” says Union Gospel Mission Coordinator of Families Ministries Stephanie Curtiss. “And it is all the sweeter because these are kids who are living in situations where they would never have dreamed of doing this otherwise. They’ll remember it for the rest of their lives.”
The trip may be over in one day, but the results may last a lifetime. Curtiss says that the kids who have gone in years past are more motivated to do schoolwork and generally feel better about themselves.
Top: Nine-year old Jewel, one of the Dreams Take Flight participants from Union Gospel Mission’s Children’s Program, poses with Air Canada Captain Arne Olson.
Directly Above: Jewel, one of the Dreams Take Flight participants from Union Gospel Mission’s Children’s Program, poses with her mom early Tuesday morning at the Vancouver airport.
