November 2020: Dreams @ Home, Shop and Eat Local, and Our First Virtual Auction!
December is here - and while we're excited about all of the exciting things we have coming up before the end of the year; we wanted to look back on a very busy November and share a little bit about a few special dreams come true, our first ever virtual auction, and some ways for you to shop and dine local! Keep reading for all the details!
Dreams @ Home:
Since March, The Dream Factory has been committed to bringing dreams to life here at home. This has involved replicating all of the joy and magic of a dream come true; but it ways that are both safe and fun for our Dream Kids while here at home. Here are a few examples of recent Dreams @ Home that we’re really proud of.
Benjamin's LEGO 7th Birthday Party!
Dream Kid Benjamin is currently fighting a chronic kidney disease and has an upcoming kidney transplant. Before that happens, we wanted to make Ben's 7th birthday a dream come true for him - and that meant LEGO!
We put together the best birthday we possibly could for Ben and his family - including pizza, LEGO cakes and cookies, and of course - all of the LEGO sets you can imagine! ⠀ Here's what Ben's mom had to say about the at-home party:
"It is so touching to see your team and your donors make Ben's medical situation less difficult to handle. It really does make having the transplant less terrifying for him when he has something to look forward to afterwards. Knowing that he can dig into some Lego sets will have him asking "how many more days" in a good way! Without this silver lining having a transplant and the isolation required for it would be much harder to prepare for, especially at seven years old and in these pandemic times when staying at home will be ever-so critical for Ben."
There are so many wonderful folks in our community we have to thank who helped bring this special dream to life. First, a generous donation from our friends at Lehigh Cement made this dream possible! We also have to thank the LEGO Store at Polo Park, Goodies Bakery, Sugar Mama Cookies, Niverville's Pizzeria, and Party Stuff Regent! Thank you for making this very special birthday dream a hit!
Pictured: Dream Kid Benjamin gives his LEGO Birthday Dream Come True 2 thumbs up!
Pictured: Dream Kid Mila couldn’t wait to get into her presents during her Christmas in November Dream!
Mia's "Christmas in November" Dream Come True!
Dream Kid Mia is 4 years old and fighting neuroblastoma - a cancer of the nerve cells. This year, Christmas came early for Mia - who dreamed of a very special holiday celebration spent with her family! Mia's "Christmas in November" Dream included seeing Santa and his elves through the window, and so many wonderful presents!
Mia is preparing to go in for a big surgery this month, and that's why it was so important to be able to celebrate early. We are sending her and her family lots of love, and are so happy they were able to share a few extra special moments and memories together as a family.
Our thanks to Heather's Pretty Parties, The Gates on Roblin, and Mastermind Toys for being a big part of making this dream come true so special. We couldn't have done it without you!
Our First Ever Virtual Auction - Over $200,000 Raised!
While this technically happened on December 1st, we just couldn't wait until next month's blog to share this exciting news! Because of YOU our first ever virtual auction raised over $200,000 to support our Dream Families and make more dreams come true for kids in our community battling life-threatening illnesses. We are so truly humbled by your generosity, and there are so many people responsible for making this possible!
Thank you to all of the folks who bid on our live and silent auctions, and the businesses who donated items for the auction - THANK YOU! We know it's been a tough year, but it is directly because of your generosity that more dreams will come true here at home in the months to come.
Thank you to our dear friend Mark Morris for being an incredible host, auctioneer, and everything in-between during a one-of-a-kind virtual event. Thanks also to JP Hoe, who provided a beautiful musical tribute during the event.
Our thanks again to Mr. Jim Gauthier and the Gauthier Automotive Group for their longtime support as the Premier Sponsor of our event. Mr. Gauthier has been responsible for countless dreams come true in our community, and our organization would not be what it is today without him. Thanks also to Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel Ltd. for once again sponsoring our use of the Givergy digital bidding system - which allowed us to host this auction virtually! We appreciate your support!
Finally, we want to thank the many businesses and individuals in our community who generously donated prizes and items for our silent and virtual auctions and raffle. The auction would not be possible without these incredible items - and we are so grateful to have you as part of our Dream Factory family.
We also have a dedicated group of volunteers who have worked tirelessly to bring this event to life. Virtual events can be tricky! It's only because of this group that we were able to have such a successful evening.
Events like this depend on caring and selfless members of our community; and we are truly so grateful to receive that kindness and care from so many; at all levels. To our entire Dream Factory community, please know how much we appreciate you and the impact you have made for children and families fighting some incredibly difficult battles. You are all Dream Makers!
Eat Local, Shop Local, Make Dreams Come True!
Eat Local: Dine MB Restaurant Guide
We know that this has been a tough year for many members of our community, including restaurants. We're excited to once again be partnering with our friends Manitoba Restaurant & Foodservices Association on the "DINE MANITOBA RESTAURANT GUIDE" - a coupon book with over $2000 in savings to over 45 local restaurants.
If you are looking for a way to support our restaurants, help make a dream come true, and treat yourself to a great meal - this is it! The Dine MB Restaurant Guide is $20, with $5 from every guide supporting The Dream Factory and more dreams come true for children in our community who are battling life-threatening illnesses. It's a perfect stocking stuffer, or holiday gifts for staff, clients, customers, and friends.
Check out the link below to learn more or purchase your Dine MB Restaurant Guide today!
Shop Local: Made Here is now Online!
Our dear friends at Made Here have taken their shop online! That means you can find some of Winnipeg's most beautiful local creations all in one place. Now, more than ever, small businesses need your support. While the gift-giving season sure looks a lot different this year, we encourage you to shop and gift local if you can!
They also have BRAND NEW gift boxes! These themed boxes are beautifully packed with unique, MB-made products, and are available at a variety of price points.
Remember - a portion of all proceeds support The Dream Factory and help make more dreams come true, so consider checking out Made Here when doing your online holiday shopping this year!
Meet A Dream Maker: Dustin from Carter and Sons
This month, we want to shine the spotlight on one of our newest Dream Makers: our friend Dustin from Carter and Sons! Dustin recently became involved with The Dream Factory when he helped to bring Zachary's Backyard Makeover to life!
With travel not an option this year, Zachary and his family decided that they would like to have the perfect space to enjoy some time outdoors. Zachary loves to be outside and garden, but has to be careful about exposure to the sun because of his condition. This brand new backyard will be perfect for creating some shade, playing games of hide and seek (his favourite), and even has room for a secret fort! The patio will also feature a custom splash pad that will be perfect for staying cool next summer!
Dustin led this project from start to finish, and reached out to so many members of our community to get involved and make it possible. It took a whole community to bring this Dream to life, and we were so lucky to have Dustin involved leading the way. Thank you Dustin, we appreciate you! ⠀
