Westman Dreams for Kids hosts annual fair

Families gathered at the Keystone Centre grounds on Sunday as Westman Dreams for Kids hosted its annual Children’s Country Fair, offering a day of outdoor fun.

The event was organized to raise awareness about its support for sick children and their families across the Westman region.

Held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. around the Clara tent and surrounding area, the fair featured bouncy castles and inflatables, face decorating, crafts and games, horse and wagon rides, a petting zoo and other family-friendly activities.

Westman Dreams for Kids Foundation co-ordinator Danna Rudniski said the event is designed to give back to the community while also helping families learn more about the organization.

“It’s just a free community event that we host, with, of course, the help of amazing sponsors that jump on board, but it’s just to kind of welcome everybody and to let them know that we’re here, and a little bit about what we do,” Rudniski told the Sun.

Board member Jackie Wells described the event as an annual tradition aimed at making sure every family has the opportunity to enjoy a fun day outdoors.

“It’s an opportunity for people that may not get to another type of fair to be able to enjoy some outdoor activity and some fun,” Wells told the Sun.

Westman Dreams for Kids has supported children with serious illnesses in the region for more than 30 years, Rudniski said. Founded in the early 1990s by local businesspeople, the organization helps fulfill dreams and provide support tailored to the needs of families.

Rudniski said those dreams can range from trips to Disney World and meeting professional athletes to providing specialized equipment, such as custom bicycles or beds for children with mobility or safety needs.

“It’s the dream that a child has,” Rudniski said. “Sometimes maybe the child might end up being critical with their illness, so it’s kind of like the last sort of thing that they can have to bring peace and hope to what they’re going through.”

Rudniski said the organization currently works with about 12 to 15 families each year through a referral-based system.

Families can be referred through the organization’s website, where community members can submit information about a child or family in need of support, she said.

Although the country fair included a canteen selling hot dogs and drinks for one dollar, organizers said that the event itself is not intended as a fundraiser.

Instead, the event is made possible through sponsors and donations. Wells said the organization also hosts a golf tournament in July and receives support through donations and charitable gifts left in wills.

For Wells, who joined the organization about 10 years ago after losing both parents within 11 months, volunteering with Westman Dreams for Kids has become deeply meaningful.

“It’s very rewarding to get to know a family and to be able to see the goal or the dream come to fruition, and the difference it makes in these children’s lives and their families’ lives,” she said.

Rudniski, who has worked with the foundation for nearly five years, said seeing the community come together is one of the most fulfilling parts of the role.

“It’s so great to see all the family and the communities come together, enjoy themselves, and it doesn’t cost anything,” Rudniski said. “I love my job.”

Organizers said events like the country fair are also important in helping families learn that support is available.

“We’re never sure who’s out there in the community that needs help,” Rudniski said. “That’s why we need people to come to us and say, this is who needs help, and then that’s when we can jump on board.”

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