Five residents of the Blue Ridge Assisted Living and Memory Care embarked on a Dream Flight through the sky Friday morning, June 10.
Senior Lifestyle Counselor Cindy Querry said, “Though the Discovery Senior Living, some of our veteran residents have been able to take part in the Dream Flight.”
Veteran Gene Bennett, WW II Veteran Bill Langford, WW II Veteran Hoyt Campbell, Mary Piper whose husband served, and Rose Postelle were the lucky recipients of this year’s Dream Flight.
The flight took off at the Gilmer County airport at 9 a.m. Friday, June 10. It took place in a 1942 biplane and lasted about 20 minutes. The experience is entirely free to the residents because of Discovery Senior Living and its sponsorship partners.
“Safety was a huge priority to us and everyone involved,” Querry said. EMS and firemen stayed close by and assisted the residents in and out of the plane.
This year, the program took veterans or family members on the Dream Flight. Last year, the focus was World War II veterans.
“Two of last year’s participants were able to go again this year,” Querry informed me. Mr. Bill Langford and Mr. Hoyt Campbell are WWII veterans and took the flight last year as well.
“Mr. Langford actually requested to fly over the living center and Lake Blue Ridge, so we were able to get some of the other residents outside to watch him fly over!”
“It’s great for these people to be able to get experiences like this, especially for free.” Querry continued, “One of the residents even said he was ready to go again as soon as he landed.”
Querry reiterated that the residents had “such a good time” and her gratitude to the program and their mission.