TTC helps dreams come true

Written by Fern Taillefer

Congratulations to the Special Constable Services and Plant Department of the Toronto Transit Commission. Through your hard work, a donation of $12,500. was made to Dream Makers, making it possible for many children to partake in that great adventure to Disney World for a day. You should be proud of your efforts. The various barbecues, golf tournaments, beauty product sales etc were a great success. Of course, these events would not be so successful if not for the many volunteers. A huge thanks goes to all of these people for their dedication and hard work.



A special thanks goes to my very good friend Ron Sturge, the backbone of this charity drive. Ron we wish you a great retirement and thank you for your years of selfless dedication to Dream Makers and the kids. You are truly a champion amongst champions!!!. Your sense of humour and great smile will surely be missed.



As a new year approaches, it is time to prepare for 2010 and planning is already underway to raise funds for the kids. With a little luck, we will be able to make another great contribution next year. Keep up the great work and keep those contributions coming in.

The Easter Bunny Visits Toronto East General

This post was written by Mario Barone Founder of Dream Makers


Today we brought Easter to the children who were not able to celebrate it at home. Thanks to our own wonderful Dream Maker volunteer Mika Midolo, who now is working with CTV's CP24 she was able to arrange Lindt chocolate to donate chocolate bunnies and eggs for an aster egg hunt at TEG Hospital. The kids were so excited! Everyone had a great time. Keith Petty, Anthony Ierullo and Danny Amato (Dream Maker Puppeteers) entertained the children by making animal puppets come to life. Our thanks to CTV producers Jennifer Johnson and Sue Robertson for their enthusiastic participation. Click on the link to see a bit of the excitement.



Thanks Mika! and everyone at CTV!!!



--
"I expect to pass through life but once.
If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again."

There is a Reason it is Called Magic Kingdom

Another trip to Disney for the kids is just around the corner! Anyone can see by the pictures from last year’s event that it is was as much fun for the adults and volunteers as it is for the kids! I thought I would share some of the great photos that were forwarded, as a reminder of what great people with big hearts and financial donations can accomplish.

Reminder of Annual Charity Golf Tournament

Puppets - help put on a happy face

Today we have received, all the way from California, a large shipment of animal puppets from Folkmanis. A company based in California that produces high end puppets. Volunteers will now be given the opportunity to dress completely in black and make one of these creatures come to life on June 4th, 2009, 4:00am, at the Air Canada Hangar for the children who will be visiting Disney.

These puppets are a hit already. We will also send 10 volunteers to the hotel where the children from out town will be staying the day before the June 4th, 2009 flight.

We are in talks with other large organizations about the possibility of practicing at their location. (I can't really go into detail about this one yet.) We are making arrangements to visit Parklane School as well as local hospital with these puppets. All the children seem to levitate to these furry creatures. What a magical feeling.

A very special thank you to all our wonderful friends at Folkmanis in California. They were very generous.

Special thanks to Elaine who was a pleasure to work with and shares a passion to help children no matter where in the world they may live. This will be our 20th Anniversary and we are sure to be a hit with the puppets. Visit them at their website, you will be impressed with the quality and cuteness of these high end puppets.

www.folkmanis.com

If you have any questions regarding volunteering with a puppet, please contact Keith Petty at keithp000@sympatico.ca

Mario Barone

President/Founder

Dream Makers

The Messengers of Good News

This post was written by Keith Petty ~ Volunteer of Dreammakers

On Wednesday March 11^th Silvia Modugno and Keith Petty of Dreammakers visited Park Lane School. The reason for the visit was to meet the four youngsters that we are sponsoring for the Dreams Take Flight event on June 4^th 2009. Each of the children was given either a Mickey Mouse or Minnie Mouse in recognition of their trip to be.

.

We were greeted by the Principal Susan Adaskin, and introduced to the three of the children, Liban, Abergail, and Heidi; Grace unfortunately was absent that day.

To put it mildly the kids were excited. The visit deeply affected both Sylvia and myself; it was something that all of us should be privileged to experience.

Volunteers and Sponsors for Dreams Take Flight

~“Volunteer—not so you can build your resume, but so you can build yourself.”~

The Dreams Take Flight program is a big part of Dream Makers mission. Every year a group of deserving children are whisked away to Florida for the day to spend time with Mickey and friends at Disney World. The party begins at the Air Canada Hangar, where they are met by celebrities, media and radio shows.

~Volunteers don't get paid, not because they're worthless, but because they're priceless. ~

The inaugural trip, aboard a DC-9 aircraft, carried 68 children along with 32 adult escorts to Walt Disney World. The Children were chosen by ten charities throughout the Toronto area based on the criteria set out by the organizers. Last year they had 56 organizations from across Ontario, one from Buffalo, New York and a total group numbering well OVER 400.

~“A volunteer is worth twenty pressed men”~

Organizers who choose the children based on specific criteria selected the agencies, service clubs, and charities participating. The children must be between the ages of six and twelve, come from disadvantaged situations, challenged physically or mentally, currently afflicted with a life threatening illness and never been to Walt Disney World before. A child's health is not a factor as long as they are fit for travel. Children who meet the parameters set out by Dreams Take Flight travel on a case-by-case basis.

~You may not have saved a lot of money in your life, but if you have saved a lot of heartaches for other folks, you are a pretty rich man. ~

The monies raised for the trip are used for admission to the park, spending money, customs fees, insurance and amenities for the children. Any money left over is used for the following year’s flight. A majority of the funds raised throughout the year come from an annual gala, golf tournaments, auctions, Pasta Dinner, Comedy Nite, and many personal and corporate donations.

~Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.~

We the volunteers of Dreams Take Flight are all committed to keeping the dream alive and will strive to make it bigger and better every year for as many special children as we possibly can.

Helping the Message of Hope

Dream Makers is organizing a rather large group to take part in Megans Walk on Sunday May 10th, 2009. We will have our own table set up at Ontario Place. The walk will be from Ontario Place to Sick Kids Hospital.When we reach the hospital, we will form a human circle around it and hug it.
All monies raised will go towards Brain Tumor research for Sick Kids.
Interested? Come join us. For information contact Silvia (Event Coordinator for Dream Makers Megans Walk project at:

dreamformegan@gmail.com

We're going to make a ripple in the pond!

The Birth of the Dream Makers Blog

When I met Mario and he offered a donation of teddy bears to take to the children of the Holy Cross Anglican School in San Pedro, Belize, http://holycrossbelize.blogspot.com I felt that a door had been opened. Mario explained a little to me about Dream Makers and when I learned of all the help they give to children, how many smiles they make possible, I was excited to become a volunteer, contributing where I could. So this is where the blog begins.........