- First Dreams Take Flight from Ottawa since 2019
- Last of eight flights of 2023 from across Canada
- Every year, Air Canada and Dreams Take Flight take children
facing different challenges on the trip-of-a-lifetime
MONTREAL, Nov. 14,
2023 /CNW/ - This morning, for the first time since
2019, Air Canada and Dreams Take Flight departed Ottawa for Orlando with 145 children on board to
experience the trip-of-a-lifetime. With the help of Air Canada
employee volunteers, support of the Air Canada Foundation, and the
work by the Dreams Take Flight organization, eight flights
operate annually, providing over 1,000 children each year with an
unforgettable day at a theme park in Florida or California.
Accompanied by a crew of current and retired Air Canada employee
volunteers, the flight took off in the early hours of the morning
taking kids facing mental, physical, emotional or social adversity
to a theme park in Florida. By
generously donating their time, pilots, flight attendants,
maintenance engineers, and numerous other employees and volunteers
on the ground and behind the scenes offer these children the chance
to take a break from their everyday to make memories and discover
new possibilities.
"The children on our flights come from various difficult
backgrounds. Some have experienced many doctor's appointments,
hospital visits, deaths of family members, in and out of foster
homes, looking after their siblings, just to name a few. While
they get to experience a day at the most magical place on earth
with Dreams Take Flight Ottawa, it allows them to be a kid for the
day. They often start the day shy and full of worries. While at the
park, the volunteers see them blossom. We see them smile as they
meet their favourite characters, laugh at the thrill of a
rollercoaster ride, experience what Disney does best, creating
magical memories that will last a lifetime. For volunteers,
seeing the change in these kids is why many of our volunteers
return each year. It's to give the kids exactly what they deserve.
A day to get away to have fun and leave all their worries behind
them," said Angela Guy, President of
Dreams Take Flight Ottawa.
The Dreams Take Flight Ottawa Flight Day was the last of 2023.
Dreams Take Flight also sees trips take place from Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax.
About Dreams Take Flight
Dreams Take Flight is a national non-profit organization
dedicated to providing the trip of a lifetime to children who may
be physically, mentally or socially challenged. With the aid of Air
Canada, the Air Canada Foundation and other national and local
organizations and businesses, money is raised to fund the program
in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Halifax. Funds not required for its primary
purpose can be gifted by Dreams Take Flight to other registered
charities that benefit physically, mentally or socially challenged
children and are within the policies adopted by Dreams Take Flight
Canada. The first Dreams Take Flight station was founded in
Toronto in 1989. Since then, the
organization has taken over 40,000 special children to Florida and California.
About the Air Canada
Foundation
The Air Canada Foundation, a not-for-profit organization focused
on the health and well-being of children and youth, was launched in
2012. It offers both financial and in-kind support to
Canadian-registered charities. Core programs include the Hospital
Transportation Program, which redistributes Aeroplan points to 15
pediatric hospitals across Canada, enabling sick children to
access the medical care they need away from home. The Air Canada
Foundation, in collaboration with the airline, also engages
directly in fundraising activities, such as the Every Bit Counts
program, which encourages customers to donate loose change of all
denominations on board flights or through collection containers
available in Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges. The Foundation also
offers continued support to major health-related causes that
benefit Canadians and is an active participant in international
humanitarian relief activity as the need arises. For more
information about the Air Canada Foundation, please read the
2022 impact report or the Air Canada's 2022 Corporate
Sustainability report available
at www.aircanada.com/citizensoftheworld.
About Air Canada
Air Canada is Canada's largest airline, the country's flag
carrier and a founding member of Star
Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation
network. Air Canada provides
scheduled service directly to more than 180 airports in
Canada, the United States and Internationally on six
continents. It holds a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax. Air
Canada's Aeroplan program is
Canada's premier travel loyalty
program, where members can earn or redeem points on the world's
largest airline partner network of 45 airlines, plus through an
extensive range of merchandise, hotel and car rental rewards. Its
freight division, Air Canada Cargo, provides air freight lift and
connectivity to hundreds of destinations across six continents
using Air Canada's passenger and freighter aircraft. Air
Canada has committed to a net zero
emissions goal from all global operations by 2050. Air Canada
shares are publicly traded on the TSX in Canada and the OCTQX in the US.
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