We will send you an editable media release you are welcome to use. Please contact the media to provide them the opportunity to highlight your residents and to give extra media attention to your facility.
If you are so inclined to help support Dream Flights with accommodations, transportation or meals, we are a 501(c) (3) organization. Every cent donated, or spared, funds more Dream Flights.
If you have any further questions please contact me, Merilyn, at 707-738-0916 or merilync@dreamflights.org with questions. Here are a few guidelines to follow:
Items to Review and Prepare For:
- Turn in applications by one month out from event.
- Because our planes are open-cockpit, we will assist the flyers into the cockpit but we will need you to be the gatekeeper as to whether or not a particular resident will be physically and mentally able to fly safely. Our pilots and ground crew will provide a safe environment from an aviation standpoint, but they are not trained in disabilities, particularly with the elderly, that could make flying dangerous. We will rely upon your knowledge of the residents and their conditions for this determination; however, with any aviation situation, the pilot may decline a particular passenger if the pilot believes from his aviation expertise perspective safety might be otherwise compromised.
- Things for you to consider in terms of airworthiness of a flyer is size, cognition and the ability to follow and maintain simple commands.
- Small canister type oxygen bottles are okay with a sling strap with at least 6 feet of tubing.
- Invite local media (attention for residents and your facility), family members, politicians, community volunteers, facility employees and residents to help out and to cheer on the flyers.
- Invite a band or DJ.
- Invite a Color Guard/Boy Scouts/VFW to present the colors.
- Be prepared with snacks and water—many facilities actually bring lunches for their residents. Sometimes local providers such as Wal-Mart or Subway actually provide these for no charge if contacted early enough.
- Bring photos and military memorabilia of the residents, particularly the flyers.
- Bring weather appropriate clothing, chairs, shade structure, medications etc., anticipating delays and weather changes that sometimes occur.
- Should weather or other circumstances delay your event, we will make every effort to contact you at least one hour prior to the scheduled start time.
- We will post the resident’s stories and pictures on our Facebook page and website. We will also be mailing the residents individual photo certificates from their flight.
What Activity Directors Need To Know
Dream Flights mission is “giving back to those who have given” by honoring senior care residents.
A little background for you, Darryl Fisher founded Dream Flights in 2011. The Foundation uses four 1940’s Boeing Stearman airplanes to give Dream Flights, primarily to seniors and military veterans, living in senior housing communities, at no charge. The airplanes are staged in different locations to allow us the opportunity to honor seniors and veterans around the United States. Since 2011, we have had the privilege of providing over 4,000 Dream Flights in 45 states.
Once your facility is selected, we will let you know how many residents to select for the day and how many alternates (stand-by in case of cancellations). We would appreciate if you would help us by filling out one application per Dream Flight recipient. You may print the application, fill it out, scan and email it to me or fill out the application on this website. Any senior in your community is eligible for a Dream Flight, however we ask that you place a priority on veterans since giving back to our veterans is a key mission for us. If we have visited you before, we ask that you choose new individuals for this year’s flights to allow others to have an opportunity. We would love the “alumni” to come back out to cheer for the new flyers.
If you would like, you may arrange the residents in the order you would like them to fly if you have ones that have specific needs (e.g., if one gets tired easier, needs to get back earlier, etc.). If you would like to do this, please talk to me to coordinate. Together, we can discuss the starting time for the day. The Dream Flight experience lasts between 30-45 minutes per passenger from start to finish (getting them into the plane, the flight, photos, etc.).
Thank You To Our Amazing Partners!
