April 2020: Virtual Storytime, Sing-alongs, and many Special Guests!
A MESSAGE FROM THE DREAM FACTORY
As April has come and gone, our team here at The Dream Factory continues to do our best to adapt to these challenging and unusual times. It is so important that we continue to do our part to support families in our community with children battling life-threatening illnesses.
We wanted to start today's post with a quick reminder of some of the actions we've taken over the last little while to ensure the safety of our Dream Families, volunteers, and staff:
All travel-related Dreams have been postponed until advisable to reschedule.
The Dream Maker Auction, scheduled for April 24th, 2020 has been postponed until November 10th, 2020.
All third-party fundraising events and group outings have been postponed or re-organized virtually to ensure the safety of participants, supporters, volunteers, and guests.
You can read our COVID-19 response in full here.
In the meantime, we have not forgotten what The Dream Factory is all about: creating fun memories and magical moments for kids in our community fighting some incredibly tough battles. Throughout the last month, we have been so fortunate to stay connected with our families and share some laughter.
In today's post, we're going to share some of those moments with you, celebrate some of the wonderful members of our community who continue to make our work possible, and share a sneak peek into how we're going to continue to support families in our community in the months to come, and encourage our kids to keep dreaming.
YOU'RE INVITED TO OUR DROP IN DREAM PARTIES!
Since March 26th, we have been hosting Virtual Drop In Dream Parties twice a week for our Dream Families, and any families in our community who are interested in joining us - the more the merrier!
Our guests and activities have included superheroes and princesses, storytime and singalongs, and more! We've gone on a tour of the solar system, met a Great Grey Owl, and even had a pet fashion show. We've also stayed active with a kid-friendly yoga class and tons of dancing.
Just check out the videos above for a few of our favourite highlights from our first month of Virtual Parties!
You can find a full list of our past guests and activities here - but we want to take a moment to say a big thank you to everyone who has joined us as a special guest to make these parties so special. You have put smiles on the faces of kids in our community during a pretty scary time - and we can't thank you enough.
We are always seeking suggestions for new guests and activities, and we'd love for you to join us at our next party! Our Virtual Drop In Dream Parties are every Tuesday at 1:00PM and Thursday at 11:00AM via Zoom, and are open to all families in Manitoba! More information about our parties and how to connect can be found here. Hope to see you there!
Pictured: Rapunzel has been one of the wonderful special guests at our Virtual Drop In Dream Parties! Photo courtesy of our friends at Heather’s Pretty Parties.
STAY TUNED: NEW WAYS TO HELP
While our Dream Parties have been one way for us to create some fun for our Dream Kids and our families, we want to make sure that we are doing everything we can to support our families by creating some happy memories as they navigate their child's illness.
Normally, those memories come in the form of fun family outings, special events, or Dream Parties in our community. We might not be able to do the things we usually to create opportunities for fun, but we do have some exciting plans for how we can continue to remind our Dream Kids of what it means to be a kid, and encourage them to keep dreaming big.
Stay tuned over the next month to find out how we're continuing to support families in our community, and how you can help create some special moments at home! If you are interested in supporting The Dream Factory in the meantime, please consider making a donation online.
A VIRTUAL VISIT FROM JOSH MORRISSEY
We were so thrilled when Dream Factory Ambassador Josh Morrissey hosted a virtual Q+A with our Dream Kids last month. The kids submitted some amazing questions (including "What is your favourite Pokemon?" - thanks Finley!) and had a wonderful time asking questions to and chatting with their hockey hero.
Our thanks once again to Josh Morrissey for all that he does for us here at The Dream Factory, and for taking the time to hang out with our kids and offer some words of support and encouragement during this tough time. We appreciate all of the time and energy you put into creating these special opportunities for our Dream Kids.
THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS
“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.”
April 19-25th marked National Volunteer Week - so we wanted to take an extra moment to recognize the many wonderful members of our community who help make The Dream Factory such a special place.
To all of our amazing volunteers, thank you. We are so grateful for each of you. Your impact has been incredible and your dedication has helped make countless dreams come true. Stay safe and well! We look forward to seeing you again soon!
Pictured: Coach Todd on the ice with Dream Kid Eric during his Winnipeg Jets dream come true in 2018.
THANK YOU TO COACH TODD!
We also wanted to take this opportunity to say thanks to Winnipeg Jets Assistant Coach Todd Woodcroft, who after 4 years with our Winnipeg Jets is taking on an exciting new opportunity as the Head Coach of the University of Vermont men's hockey team.
Coach Woodcroft has been a wonderful supporter of The Dream Factory during his time here, and has been a part of many special hockey dreams come true over, including spending time on the ice with Dream Kids Eric and Zack (pictured).
Our sincere thanks to Todd for all of the care he put into helping make dreams come true here in Manitoba. It means so much to us, and you will be greatly missed!
MEET A DREAM MAKER: DEADLIFTS FOR DREAMS LIFTERS
While we are disappointed that we are not yet able to celebrate this year's Deadlifts for Dreams, we wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the 45 lifters in Winnipeg and Brandon who came together and, in a matter of months, raised nearly $30,000 for The Dream Factory.
The care, dedication, and passion that this community shares with The Dream Factory is such an inspiration. It is a true joy to get to support and work with each and every one of you, and we can't thank you enough for the love that you give to The Dream Factory and the children you support each year.
We also have to thank Dave Beakley and Quentin Derhak for leading this year's Deadlifts for Dreams events and doing such an incredible job rallying their communities to make dreams come true.
From all of us at The Dream Factory - we cannot wait to celebrate with you when the time is right!
