Minnesota Great Escapes Scrapbook
Starlight children and families in the Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota have helped put together this scrapbook of past events.
Highlights from Recent Great Escapes
One Starlight family wrote in to tell us what a great time they had as a family during a Great Escape outing at a professional soccer game:
"It was a nice treat for us all to be able to get away as a family - especially on Father's Day weekend! The game was a lot of fun, the tailgate party was great, and it was really cool to win a prize at half-time! Thanks again - we really appreciated it."
.jpg "Great Escapes MN Corn Maze")
At the Severs Corn Maze in Shakopee, MN, families enjoyed a perfect autumn afternoon at the Ancient Egypt-themed corn maze. After winding through the maze, families then watched the pig races, spooked themselves in a haunted mansion, and then braved the exotic animal zoo -- all while enjoying live music and refreshments. Each family went home with big smiles, pumpkins and carving kits.
At the Depot in downtown Minneapolis, Starlight families had an afternoon of ice skating - all within the beautiful glassed in ice rink. The Courage Center loaned Starlight their special sleds, so that the kids in wheelchairs could have fun on the ice. Families played Bingo, had a craft game, and each child got a Nintendo DS game system.
The Timberwolves asked Starlight to nominate a child for their Wolves Care month, where each home game honored a child struggling with an illness. The Starlight teenager featured was a 17-year-old who fighting bone cancer. The Wolves donated an executive suite, and the teen was brought down to the court during the game where he was thrilled to receive a signed ball and team jersey. Several families were able to join in to watch a great game with a great view!
Great Escapes families were wowed by Disney's "Princess Wishes" ice show at the Target Center. Each child was given a special tiara and glamorous boa to ensure they looked and felt like princes and princesses for the evening -- a magical afternoon was had by all.
Great Escapes children and parents enjoyed a performance of "Disney's 100 Years of Magic," featuring classic Disney favorites like Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald Duck as well as moments from "The Lion King," "Mulan" and "Toy Story."
Starlight families enjoyed an afternoon of bowling at Elsie's in Minneapolis. The alleys were equipped with special ramps, so the children in wheelchairs were able to bowl and have a great time as well. Everyone enjoyed delicious snacks and beverages from the restaurant, and each child went home feeling like a winner and armed with a special goody bag.
Starlight families explored the St. Paul Children's museum with fun hands-on exhibits, followed by a Super Celebration in their private party room. The young scientists made slime, ice cream and their own mini lava lamp, followed by pizza and dessert. Dedicated museum staff facilitated the Super Silly Science program and helped ensure a good time was had by all.
At the local Build-A-Bear store, Starlight children made unique dolls for inpatients at the children's hospital, and they also created special dolls for themselves to take home as a memorable keepsake. The fun afternoon ended with a lunch for all the families at the Rainforest Café.
In Their Words
"I want to express my sincere thanks for the absolutely perfect day my girls had at the Mall of America outing. I know that the girls will remember that day for the rest of their lives. The way they lit up and the stories they have told about the day are enough to make me cry.
I have told some of the parents about the event and I would like to share the information with them. I have given your information to two mothers of young boys who are in the middle of bone marrow and chemotherapy treatments. I want share the joy with those who were looking for someone to smile with. We all need to get an excuse to think and do something besides be sick."
-Starlight parent
"The corn maze and pit was a dream come true for me. I really loved it, the feeling and finally being able to experience something like that. Thanks so much for going in there with me. Also, I have never been brave enough to go through a haunted house, and I am so glad that I got to experience it.
We had a great day, thank you!"
-Starlight child
"Thank you so much for a fantastic time at the Children's Museum; we really were able to connect as a family. Joseph hasn't been out very much from the hospital and this was a real treat. Thank you for all the work and coordination you put into making these events happen!"
-Starlight family
"I just wanted to say thank you for the delightful evening last night! We all had a great time, and my daughter was absolutely enchanted! 'Mom!' she said, 'This is better than the Olympics!' Thank you so much for bringing a smile to her face. It isn't often that all my girls get together in the same place, and the event was a bonding experience for all of us."
-Starlight family