It started on the day I noticed a leaflet concerning the Dial-a-Dream
Charity in the Driver's reception at Brunswick House. After reading it,
I realised it was a very worthy cause and I became a member, the
subscription being £10 a year. I was doing my bit, I thought, to help
very sick children.
It was some while later that I learned the Charity owned
the Dream Villa in Kissimmee, Florida, and that it had been acquired to
enable sick children and their families to visit Disneyland - this being
the most popular 'Dream' requested by the children. 'Kissimmee' in the
Seminole Indian language means Heavenly Place - how apt a name for a
place where dreams are fulfilled.
I was curious to know more, so I got in touch with Bob
"the dog" Heath, the Hon. Sec. of Dial-A-Dream and former
Dial-a-Cab driver. I found out that to help cover the running expenses,
it was possible to hire the villa for a holiday. So I and my wife Gill,
would see the Heavenly Place for ourselves. With Bob's help and advice,
we booked our stay, car hire and flights.
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The Adventure Begins
Jim Rainbird (T25) drove us to Victoria to start our adventure. We
arrived in Orlando some nine hours later and collected our car. After
some nerve racking moments - ie driving at night on the wrong side of
the road - we arrived at the Dream Villa tired but happy that we had
made it. We collapsed into bed excited at the prospect of starting our
exploration the next day.
We awoke the next day to Bob ringing us (7.30 am local
time) to check we had arrived safely. We got up and explored our
surroundings. Truly it is a Dream Villa being a four bed-roomed, air
conditioned, detached villa sleeping up to 10 people. It has its own
fully screened and heated swimming pool and the garage has been
converted into a games room containing a darts board and pool table. The
kitchen is fully |
equipped with everything you'd need as were the
bedrooms. And of course there is Cable TV! So all we had to pack was our
clothes!
The Villa is situated in a pleasant area of holiday villas,
with shopping malls and eating places not far away. And of course, just
a 10 minute drive from most of the Disneyland theme parks - Magic
Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and MGM Universal Studios. Sea World,
Busch Gardens and the Kennedy Space Centre are longer journeys, but all
well worth a visit.
If you go to Orlando, a call in to the Kissimmee Visitor Centre is a
great way to plan your days out. They will assist in booking tickets for
all the theme parks and other trips, such as journeys to the Everglades;
mini cruises to Grand Bahamas and Miami to name but a few. Orlando has
46 golf courses and lots of fishing. Something for everyone!
The weather is good too, although July and August can be
very hot.
All in all, a truly memorable holiday, to a land of
Fantasy.
So if you want to enjoy the fantasy, contact Bob Heath on
0181 530 5589. You'll have a great time AND help support the Dream
Villa... |
