KELOWNA – A decades-long connection between California sheriffs and Okanagan children is set to continue.
Sheriffs from Orange County announced today they will continue to support the annual DreamLift Day Fundraiser. They’ve been volunteering their time with DreamLift Day for more than 20 years, flying to Kelowna every year to help Wendy’s restaurants raise money to send local children with terminal illnesses or severe medical challenges on a magical trip to Disneyland. Once there, the children are partnered up with an officer who chaperones them around the park for a day of adventure and fun.
The relationship came to an end in late 2014 when the new owners of Wendy’s pulled the plug on the long-running event.
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READ MORE: Wendy’s Dreamlift Day won’t lift off anymore
However, Papa John’s Pizza announced in February that it had arranged with the Sunshine Foundation of Canada to continue DreamLift Day.
READ MORE: Sunshine DreamLift set to take off again from the Okanagan
The new partnership has now renewed the relationship between the sheriffs and the local community.
“We’re thrilled Papa John’s Pizza jumped on board to support the community in this special way,” says Orange County sheriff’s department spokesperson Marilyn MacDougall. “We are so excited because it means a lot to the people down here. The relationship doesn’t end with the DreamLift day for most of these kids. I have people who have been communicating for 15 years with Sunshine kids they came to know on a DreamLift day. That’s impact.”
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This year’s DreamLift day takes place on April 29 at five local Papa John’s Pizza locations. One hundred per cent of all proceeds and staff wages will go towards Sunshine DreamLift programs.
“The Orange County sheriffs support for Sunshine is priceless,” says Papa John’s Pizza President Geoff Linquist. “We are looking forward to building on the friendship between the sheriffs and the Okanagan community. I have seen firsthand how important the sheriffs are to the parents and kids in our community and I want to make sure that relationship continues.”
The next DreamLift flight takes off in December 2015.
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