RCMP helps dreams take flight for students

A group of lucky students from throughout Nova Scotia embark today on a magical journey to Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom, and members of Nova Scotia RCMP are helping make it happen.

Through the Dreams Take Flight program, RCMP officers Cst. Serge Landry, Cst. Lisa Hartlen, Cst. Nathan Sparks, Cst. Lorilee Morash, and Cst. Angela Downey had the honour of working with the local schools and community groups to nominate a group of deserving youth.

The Dreams Take Flight program provides children, who may not have had the opportunity to otherwise visit Walt Disney World with a one-day, all-expenses-paid trip to the most magical place on Earth.

The process leading up to this adventure began several months before, with four RCMP officers, who work in Halifax District, Guysborough District, Colchester District, and Yarmouth, respectively.

\They worked with schools and the Dreams Take Flight selection committee to nominate deserving children between the ages of seven and 12.

With assistance from school staff, parents and family physicians, the nominations were sent forward, all while being kept secret from the children.

In total, 160 children were selected for the event, including 10 from Halifax District, four from Guysborough District, four from Colchester District, three from Cumberland District, and eight from Yarmouth.

The children leave Halifax early in the morning and are flown to Orlando on a flight donated by Air Canada, which is crewed entirely by volunteer Air Canada flight attendants, pilots, air technicians, group leaders, corporate sponsors and community volunteer chaperones.

They will spend an entire day at the Magic Kingdom and are flown back to Halifax the same night.

All the costs are provided for the children, through several corporate sponsors.