LEGOLAND Florida Resort welcomes Sunshine Foundation’s 40,000th Dreamer
Seven-year-old Priscilla, from Yakima, WA, became the Sunshine Foundation’s 40,000th dreamer when she received a special Dream Come True on Friday, June 2nd. The Sunshine Foundation granted Priscilla’s dream of going to LEGOLAND Florida Resort with her family and meeting her favorite characters, the LEGO Friends. Priscilla traveled to central Florida with her parents to spend a week at the Sunshine Foundation Dream Village.
The family visited LEGOLAND Florida Resort, SeaWorld, and Walt Disney World for the very first time, a dream come true for Priscilla, who has cerebral palsy. The family thoroughly enjoyed their time spent at the central Florida theme parks and the Dream Village. Priscilla’s parents, Ruben and Shannon, said, “the most memorable parts of this trip were our family time together and playing at LEGOLAND”. They added, “Seeing Priscilla become more independent, waking up early every day, brushing her teeth and getting ready for each park…and seeing Priscilla stand up in her chair on her own for the first time…was a very emotional experience for us.”
LEGOLAND Florida Resort hosted the family through its charitable organization Merlin’s Magic Wand, whose mission is putting magic back into the lives of seriously ill, disabled, and disadvantaged children. “We were thrilled to hear Priscilla chose to visit LEGOLAND Florida Resort,” said Adrian Jones, general manager of LEGOLAND Florida Resort. “Watching her face light up with sheer joy as her BFF’s entered the room was unforgettable. Helping kids take a break from reality and build awesome memories is what it’s all about.”
The family stayed in the LEGOLAND Florida Resort-themed cottage at the Sunshine Foundation Dream Village, a 22-acre resort in Central Florida that provides families with accommodations equipped to meet the children’s special needs during dream visits to the area’s theme parks. The trip was made possible by the generous support given to the Sunshine Foundation, the nation’s oldest wish-granting organization. Since 1976, Sunshine Foundation has answered the dreams of 40,000 children in the United States.
