June 2020: Keep Dreaming Update, Sophie’s Story, and A Few Thank You’s!
June was such a wonderful month here at The Dream Factory - and one that flew by! Last month, we hosted more of our Virtual Drop In Dream Parties, shared Sophie’s story, connected with many families through our Keep Dreaming program, and were supported in some really wonderful ways by folks in our community.
We also shared an update on how we’ve continued to adapt to COVID-19, and how we’re going to keep supporting Dream Kids in Manitoba here at home. You can read that update in full, here. Today - we’re excited to celebrate some of our favourite June moments with you! Keep reading to find out what we’ve been up to!
Meet Sophie
In June we were honoured to share Sophie’s story with our Dream Factory community, and wanted to share a small excerpt of her story here. If you’d like to help bring Sophie’s dream to life, please click here to make a donation. Next month, we look forward to sharing an update from Sophie’s backyard makeover - stay tuned!
Sophie has got to be the kindest, cheeriest, most mature little 10 year old that you will ever meet. She loves to run and play with her friends, and always puts 110% effort into anything she does. She loves to bake and is a talented artist and painter. She excels in school, and is a friend to everyone she meets. She wants to build her own robot one day! Sophie's family enjoys camping, cooking, creating art, adventuring, going to music festivals, and playing lots of board games.
Last June, things changed for Sophie and her family. At the end of her grade 4 year, Sophie began to notice a pain in her right knee. The pain would come and go and didn’t seem to bother her much. Her family thought it was just growing pains. In July, when she went for a walk with her mom, Sophie started limping. Her mom took her to her family doctor to make sure it wasn’t anything serious. Unfortunately, it was serious. Sophie was diagnosed with osteosarcoma — or bone cancer.
Sophie’s dream was first to travel to Japan, then to camp in the forests of British Columbia. Unfortunately, due to the risks and restrictions of travel and her cancer progressing, that will not be possible.
However, we are bringing Sophie’s camping dream to her — with an incredible backyard makeover that will transform the space into a campground oasis. Sophie has become extra sensitive to the sun, so we are creating a space where she can spend more time outside having adventures and enjoying the outdoors with her family.
Stay tuned for an update next month on Sophie’s backyard makeover. In the meantime, if you would like to read more of Sophie’s story, or help support her dream backyard, please click here to read more or make a donation!
Keep Dreaming Campaign Update
Last month, we were very excited to launch our Keep Dreaming campaign. This initiative is our small way of continuing to support families in Manitoba while they spend more time at home. That could be through a special delivery, a thoughtful gift, by making more memories, or simply enjoying a stress-free family dinner together.
We were touched to receive so many thoughtful and generous donations, allowing us to create some really special moments for kids in our community! Because of your generosity, Emma received a thoughtful gift, Malcolm was all laughs at his family dinner, and many, many more kids were given a special reason to smile - all because of you!
To everyone who has supported our Keep Dreaming campaign so far - thank you! If you would like to help Keep Kids Dreaming in our community in July, click here to make a donation and choose how you’d like to make a difference!
“You are a beautiful gift to the world. Keep dreaming, loving, and shining bright.”
Virtual Dream Parties - On Summer Break!
June marked the last month of our regular Virtual Drop In Dream Parties! Between March and June we hosted 26 online parties for kids in our community as a way of staying connected and having fun during this tough time. We want to send a HUGE thank you to everyone who joined us over the last few months!
We're going to be taking a little bit of a summer break from our regularly scheduled Dream Parties, but STAY TUNED to our social media channels throughout the summer for a few "POP UP" Dream Parties full of fun guests and activities.
To all of our incredible Special Guests - thank you for the time, effort, and care you dedicated to making these parties so much fun, and for creating more laughter and smiles for Dream Kids. We are so grateful to have you as part of our Dream Factory Family.
To our Dream Families - whether you joined us at one party or 20, thank you for staying connected with us! To be able to keep up with so many of our Dream Families has been the best part of these parties, and we look forward to keeping in touch in the months to come! Thank you for your wonderful recommendations, and for introducing us to so many of your pets!
June Dream Party guests:
June 2nd: Wonders Of The Universe with Brenden Petracek
June 9th: Moana and Mulan from Heather’s Pretty Parties
June 16th: Tazzy Reads with Big Daddy Tazz
June 23rd: Wild Kratts and Ms. Frizzle from Heather’s Pretty Parties
June 30th: Zumba with Hazel Cuevas
A Few Special Thank You’s!
We wanted to share a few special thank you’s to folks in our community who spent time raising funds to keep kids dreaming this month!
Our friends at Emergent Biosolutions hosted their annual fundraising campaign in June, and did an absolutely terrific job. The team took their campaign online and raised funds virtually, and had their best year ever! Thank you so much to the folks at Emergent for your generosity and continued support!
All month long, Shortline Moving Solutions has been helping to Keep Dreams Moving by raising funds for Ben’s dream bedroom makeover. Shortline has been a longtime friend of The Dream Factory, and we are so grateful to have them as part of our Dream Factory Family. Thanks Shortline!
Lastly, the wonderful Kinsmen Club of Winnipeg helped bring more dreams to life by donating $1 from every card sold for the June 27th bingo to The Dream Factory. Over $32,000 was raised which is an incredible result! The Kinsmen always go above and beyond to bring dreams to life, and this is no exception!
To ALL of the folks who have supported The Dream Factory in the last few months: your support during this tough time is truly so appreciated. Thank you for thinking of us, and our Dream Kids and families, and for the time and care you put into bringing dreams to life. Dreams come true _only_ because of your support!
Dream Kid Update: Drea
This month, we were so thrilled to share a little bit of good news: Dream Kid Drea went for her 3 month MRI and it came back ALL CLEAR! We could not be happier for Drea and her wonderful family — she is all smiles!
Last summer, our friends at the Bridge Drive In raised funds for Drea's dream through their very special Cloud Nine Cone, and we are eagerly looking forward to making her dream come true as soon as it's safe to do so. Stay tuned this month to find out how we will be teaming up with our friends at BDI this summer to help make even more dreams come true!
We are sending lots of love to Drea, her family, and all of our Dream Families! These are the moments we love to celebrate!
Pictured: Dream Kid Drea is all smiles after having a 3 Month MRI that came back ALL CLEAR! Congratulations Drea, we are so happy for you!