During our most recent retreat families who have a child with hearing impairment got the opportunity to spend time with their family and meet new friends. The weather was beautiful and the activities were full of adventure. Families got to enjoy activities such as making s'mores, fishing, swinging with their partners at the hoe down and getting to hold live snakes. There were a lot of great memories made and friendships that will last a lifetime.

This last retreat weekend was for families who have a child with cancer.  We spent the four days up at Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, North Carolina.  The families did exciting activities including making messy s'mores, catching slimy fish, climbing the rock wall, dancing the night away at the dance party and hanging out with cute puppy dogs!  This weekend was filled with heartfelt memories and friendships that will surely last forever!

Deliver the Dream celebrated its 85^th retreat weekend! Eleven families who have a child with Cerebral Palsy from the Wolfson Children's Rehabilitation Center joined us for a weekend of fun, relaxation, laughter and tears.  Families were brought together with team building activities, art activities, parties, bingo and more!  Kids had a dance party and even the parents got the deluxe treatment with their own party complete with massages and special desserts!  Everyone was so sad to say goodbye to each other, but we know these families and volunteers will be in touch for a long time! 

Eight families from the University of Florida's Hematology Oncology Clinic joined Deliver the Dream for our first retreat of 2010.  Families, who had a child with sickle cell anemia, had a blast at one of our newest locations, the Florida FFA Leadership Training Center in Haines City, Florida.  Our new venue provided families with some familiar activities, such as the campfire, fishing, artworld and family fun night, but also provided new experiences, such as low ropes team building, an ice cream sundae social, pony pet therapy and canoeing!  All these families had a blast and found themselves leaving refreshed, renewed and reenergized!

Deliver the Dream was back at the ranch this weekend for a wet and wild weekend of fun!  The sun didn't shine most of the weekend but our families sure did!  Our 83rd retreat weekend with Chris Evert Children's Hospital was more than memorable, it was the best!  11 families from South Florida who have a child with Cancer had fun singing songs at the campfire, taking a tour on a hay ride, horseback riding, indoor carnival day, a rodeo, got to see a 4-day old baby horse and even took a freezing cold airboat ride!  This weekend was definitely one to remember and we know we'll be hearing from these families soon!

Deliver the Dream and Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital hosted the 82nd retreat weekend at a brand new venue in Leesburg, Florida!  All 14 families from South Florida had an amazing experience and got to try new things like rock wall climbing, zip lining, power jumping and participating in a washers tournament!  All the families and volunteers agreed that this was a weekend to remember and we're sure that everyone will remain one big family for life!

Deliver the Dream was at the picturesque Kanuga Conference Center this weekend celebrating it’s 81^st retreat weekend, partnering with Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro. 12 families from Greensboro, North Carolina joined us for a fantastic holiday weekend of respite, relaxation and good old Halloween fun! Families had an opportunity to climb a rock wall, hold live snakes, learn about jazz, trick-or-treat and even take a trip down the Halloween Hallway! The retreat was a much needed break for all the families but more than anything, it was FUN! We know we’ll keep in touch with these families for a long time!

September 10-13, 2009

Deliver the Dream was back at the ranch this weekend with St. Vincent's Medical Center serving families who have a parent with Cancer.  The 79th retreat weekend was held at Westgate River Ranch in Lake Wales, Florida and was full of yee-hawin' fun, exciting activities and everyone even managed to stay clear of the rain... most of the time!  Families were able to ride a horse, take an airboat trip, test their wits on the rockwall and power jumper and even got to participate in a real live rodeo!  This was truly a special weekend for everyone and we know that the bonds made this weekend will last forever!

August 20-23, 2009

Deliver the Dream headed back to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains for it's 78th retreat weekend with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta serving families who have a child with Sickle Cell Anemia.  The breathtaking, Amicalola Falls State Park, was the pefect setting for this retreat full of love, laughter and fun!  Families had a chance to make s'mores around the campfire, create plays and collages in Artworld, break it down at a dance party, hold live snakes, learn about birds and owls, sing their hearts out at karaoke, test their luck at BINGO and still even had time to hike the falls!  This was certainly a special retreat weekend and one that we all will remember for a long time!

June 25-28, 2009

Deliver the Dream headed to the sunny Sandpiper Resort this weekend and had a blast with families from Jacksonville!  DTD partnered with Wolfson Children’s Rehab for a weekend of fun, sun and relaxation.  All family members got to be kids again by flying high on the trapeze, making tie-dye tee’s, sailing, swimming and just laying around in a hammock!  Parents and kids all had an opportunity to meet other families with children who are medically complex and created friendships to last a lifetime!  Another great one for the memory books!

May 7-10, 2009

Deliver the Dream celebrated a milestone, 75 retreats this past weekend with a new partner, the Marcus Autism Center!  15 families from the Atlanta area who have a child with Autism came together at Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, North Carolina for a back to nature weekend of non-stop fun and excitement.  Families had a great time scaling the rockwall, dancing the hoe down, learning about jazz, and even petting exotic reptiles.  The weekend was fantastic but what made it the most special were all the families who attended.  We know we’ll be talking about this retreat for a long time!
 

March 19 to 22, 2009

Deliver the Dream partnered with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, South Florida Chapter for its 73rd retreat weekend. DTD & NMSS headed to Port St. Lucie, FL for a weekend of fun and relaxation! From Artworld to sailing, all the families were thrilled to be a part of this magical weekend. Even though the sun didn’t shine all weekend, our families did! Some kids even got to be in a real live circus!! Parents and kids really got a great opportunity to connect with other families dealing with MS and it sure was great to see just how close they all became! We are positive that these new DTD families are sure to stay active with DTD, NMSS and each other for a long time to come!

February 19-22, 2009

Deliver the Dream hosted it’s 72^nd retreat this weekend with the American Cancer Society.  DTD & ACS headed to Westgate’s River Ranch in LakeWales, Florida for a weekend of activities, relaxation and some good old cowboy fun!  Families had a blast fishing, horseback riding, making s,mores and even had an opportunity to attend a rodeo!  Our hats off to this retreat’s sponsor, Citrix!  This weekend would not have been possible without their support!  All the families and volunteers had a blast and will certainly be friends for years to come!

On October 4^th, eight Deliver the Dream families boarded the Sea Experience boat to discover the underwater world of South Florida.  Families snorkeled in the clear waters of the warm Atlantic Ocean and came into contact with the colorful fish and marine life that lie beneath the ocean’s surface.  We also took a cruise along the intercoastal waterways while enjoying  each others company.   It was such a beautiful day!