Foundation Participating in Celebration of the International Year of the CarouselMake-A-Wish Foundation of America (June 20, 2000) — The International Year of the Carousel celebration is inspiring a variety of wonderful and interesting activities. Everyday, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) is contacted by member facilities announcing their activities for the International Year of the Carousel. Below are some of the confirmed events around the world benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation®.  Australia - Sea World, Gold Coast, Australia sponsored a carousel coloring contest and chose four winners who won family passes to Sea World and the chance to ride their carousel. In addition, the winners' entries were displayed at the Australian Amusement Leisure & Recreation Association (AALARA) conference and trade show in O'Neill entertainment's booth. O'Neill, Australia's leading carousel manufacturer also donated a carousel horse that was raffled off at the AALARA Conference to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. California - Bonfante Gardens, Gilroy, CA, in preparation for the park's grand opening in Spring 2001, Bonfante Gardens has invited children and families from their local Make-A-Wish Foundation, and families from the community's shelter to spend the day riding their fully restored 1927 Illions Supreme Carousel. - Pharoah's Lost Kingdom, Redlands, CA, has partnered with the city Mayor to declare June 22 the "International Day of the Carousel." In celebration, local Make-A-Wish children and their families are invited to the park and $1.00 from every carousel ride given that day will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. - Children's Fairyland, USA, Oakland, CA, will be celebrating their 50th Birthday with the International Year of the Carousel. The celebration will honor the park's brand new carousel which will open later this summer, and its' 50-year old carousel which consists of characters from Alice in Wonderland, the "Wonder-Go-Round." Children's Fairyland will welcome local children from the Make-A-Wish Foundation to help celebrate this special time in the park. - Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, CA is throwing an early morning private Make-A-Wish Birthday Party for donors, volunteers, Wish children and their families. Everyone will ride the carousel and other Bugs Bunny World rides, enjoy a complimentary breakfast and a short ceremony celebrating the Make-A-Wish Foundation's 20th birthday and the IYOC, prior to the park's opening to the public. Six Flags will donate 50 cents per carousel ride for the entire day of June 22nd to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Colorado - Royal Gorge Bridge and Park, Canon City, CO, the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park will be celebrating the IYOC June 24-25, 2000. Complete with a barber shop quartet, balloons, clowns, facepainting and much more, Royal Gorge will donate $1.00 from every admission ticket sold that weekend to their local Make-A-Wish chapter, as well as donate 70 complimentary admission tickets to the Children's Hospital/Cardiac-Live transplant division for child patients and their families. - Six Flags Elitch Gardens, Denver, CO, is partnering with the local Make-A-Wish Foundation chapter to plan a series of fun-filled events in July. Connecticut - Ocean Beach Park in New London, CT, will celebrate the grand re-opening of its beautiful carousel on June 11th. In honor of the event, a portion of the proceeds from the park's admission and from rides taken on the carousel will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation's Connecticut chapter. Ocean Beach has already raised more than $12,000 fo the Make-A-Wish Foundation by offering carousel horse sponsorships to local businesses for that day. Ocean Beach has also invited the children and families of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Connecticut, to enjoy a day with complimentary admission and park activities, including miniature golf, swimming in the Olympic-size pool, playing on the beach, trying out the arcade, and enjoying dinner with an outdoor barbecue. Florida - Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Tampa, FL, has invited 40 local wish children for a complimentary day of food and fun in the theme park on Thursday, June 29, 2000. - Blackpool Pleasure Beach has begun the summer season with a nostalgic look back at the history of the carousel with a photographic exhibition staged in the Café Restaurant. Later in the season, Blackpool will sponsor a carousel-a-thon to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation later in the season. - Drayton Manor Park, Birmingham, will donate funds to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Tamworth Special Needs nursery for one day in June, based on the number of people who ride their carousel. The carousel was completely restored last year in time for the Park's 50th anniversary. Holland - On June 22, Duinrell will celebrate the start of the International Year of the Carousel Special guests Gerda Krüger and her cousin, Mrs. Helmi Michelmann from Germany will be in attendance. Mrs. Krüger's grandfather was the original owner of Duinrell's antique carousel. Built in 1864, the carousel joined Duinrell park in 1985 after being in their family for three generations. Guests will also attend the opening of a Fanclub Exhibition of Mr. Lee Towers, a famous Dutch singer. - De Efteling, Kaatschevel, The Netherlands, is the site of the official European launch of the International Year of the Carousel. On June 22, children from the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Holland and their families will enjoy a special day at the park's unique antique carousel. Brian Steptoe, one of the world's leading experts on carousels will conduct a carousel horse restoration workshop, and guests will have the opportunity to test their skills as the park re-introduces the brass ring machine to one of their three wooden carousels. In addition, de Efteling will unveil new signs that summarize the history of their carousels and provide a complimentary Dutch lunch for the Make-A-Wish families and visiting media. Idaho - Silverwood, Athol, ID – Silverwood is sponsoring a Ride-A-Thon on Saturday, June 24, 2000. By teaming up with KZZU 92.9 FM and KXLY Channel 4 to organize the Ride-A-Thon, sponsorships and pledges will be generated to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Kootenai County Board of commissioner has declared the week of June 25 to July 1, 2000 as "County-Wide Carousel Week" in Idaho. Missouri - Worlds of Fun, Kansas City, MO, has partnered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri, welcoming wish children and their families to the park for a complimentary day of fun, food and excitement on Sunday, July 23, 2000. The wish children will be the first to ride the carousel that day, and Worlds of Fun will donate $.25 for every ride given on the carousel that afternoon to the Make-A-Wish Foundation®. Nevada - The Southern Nevada Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Circus Circus Adventuredome are partnering to celebrate the IYOC for the weekend October 13-15. Make-A-Wish children and their families will enjoy complimentary admission and lots of fun! New Jersey - The Carousel at Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, USA, is eagerly looking forward to the IYOC on-line. Anyone who visits its Web site is greeted not only by the cheerful music of the Casino Pier Carousel, but also by the IYOC logo, a scrolling message about the campaign, and information on how to contact the Make-A-Wish Foundation. By clicking on the IYOC logo, on-line visitors can then read about the IYOC, the Foundation's mission, and the dates of special events planned throughout the summer, as part of Casino Pier's "Wednesdays and Wishes" program, benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation. - On Saturday, May 20, Gillian's Wonderland Pier celebrated the IYOC! The Ocean City, New Jersey local government was involved in communicating the IYOC to its community with an official proclamation by the city's mayor, entertainment, clowns, and the local media. IAAPA president and CEO John Graff, was also there sharing the message of the IAAPA partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation for the IYOC campaign. New York - Midway Park in Maple Springs, New York, USA, is planning a series of events in honor of the IYOC to benefit the Foundation. Beginning with a carousel horse coloring contest, complimentary carousel rides asking riders to "Make-A-Wish" as they enter all summer and culminating with the Make-A-Wish Big Band Ball on July 16, with a 16 piece orchestra, benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Midway Park will be celebrating the IYOC in ways that will attract families and children of all ages! - Nellie Bly, Brooklyn, NY, sponsored a "coloring contest" for children. Anyone who colored in the International Year of the Carousel horse, received a free ride on the beautiful Nellie Bly carousel. - Playland, Rye, NY, the official launch of the International Year of the Carousel will take place at Playland on June 22, 2000. Make-A-Wish children and their families from the Hudson Valley chapter will join special guests from IAAPA, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Playland for special events on Playland's unique Derby Carousel and fully restored Classic Carousel. Ohio - Cedar Point, Sandusky, OH, June 22, 2000, Cedar Point will be sponsoring a special day for the children and families of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The parks' CEO will conduct a special ceremony for the wish children and their families, inviting them to ride the first carousel ride of the day! In addition, Cedar Point will host an on-line auction of carousel items and Cedar Point memorabilia June 22 – July 31 on their Web site. All money raised through the auction will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Later on in the summer, the National Carousel Association will be making a stop at Cedar Point as part of their annual convention, and participating in special IYOC events surrounding their visit to the park. - The Columbus Zoo, Powell, OH, is sponsoring a special event with their local Make-A-Wish chapter to celebrate the grand re-opening of their fully restored 1914 Mangels-Illions carousel in June. Oregon - Oaks Park Amusement Park, in Portland, Oregon, hosted a special re-dedication of their cherished carousel. For four months, a local 4th grade class helped restore one of the carousel's giraffes, while the Meadow Park Middle School Band learned to play John Phillip Sousa music to commemorate the unveiling. At the dedication, lots of smiles filled the park as visitors rode the special carousel, students sold t-shirts and hand-made ornaments to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation® and everyone listened to the fanfare of the band. Pennsylvania - Dutch Wonderland, Lancaster, PA, has partnered with their local government, and on June 19, 2000 Mayor Charles Smithgall will present an official IYOC proclamation to the park, declaring the "International Week of the Carousel" in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, followed later in the week by a day where Dutch Wonderland will donate .50 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation for every carousel ride they give that day. The park will also raffle a carousel horse to benefit the Foundation and invite local Make-A-Wish children and their families to the park, complimentary. - Hersheypark, Hershey, PA, is starting its summer season with a "Carousel Weekend," May 27-29, 2000. Home to one of the oldest carousels in the United States, Hersheypark has invited members of the American Carousel Association and the National Carousel Association for an exclusive chance to ride their carousel. In addition, a miniature carousel display will be in the Hersheypark Tenet, showcasing more than 60 exhibitors with their hand carved horses, miniature carousels, miniature Ferris wheels and a hand carved miniature circus. The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children under the age of 18 with life-threatening illnesses. It is the largest wish-granting organization in the world with 80 chapters in the United States and its territories and 20 international affiliates, spanning five continents. Through private donations and the efforts of more than 18,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has granted more than 73,000 wishes around the world since its inception in 1980 — more than 9,600 last year alone. children in the United States and more than 7,000 in other countries since being founded in 1980.
For more information, or to contact Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, see their website at: www.wish.org |
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