In December, the Clear Lake Chamber and Air Choice One paired up with the man in the big red suit to offer a Holiday Wish.  Our goal was to bring a local’s loved one to Clear Lake by offering a free round trip first class airline ticket on Air Choice One from Chicago, and the response was overwhelming! It was exciting to see how many people wanted to return to their roots, visit friends and family, and it’s fantastic that now there is a convenient and affordable option to do so. (Note: Air Choice One has added service to St. Louis as of January 1, 2015.)

Out of all the letters to Santa, this one was chosen to win the Holiday Wish. We can’t wait to hear all about their visit!

Dear Santa,

I am writing to you in hopes you can make a holiday wish come true for Michael K. of Chicago, Illinois- originally from Bondurant, Iowa.

Michael’s Grandparents Glen and Dorothy D. have lived in and been residents of Clear Lake since 1957. They have been married for 69 years this past November. They are 95 and 91 respectively. Did you read that?! 95 AND 91!!! And let me tell you- they are WITH it!

I first met Glen and Dorothy just 3 years ago and when I asked Dorothy how they first met- boy, did she have a story for me! Apparently, Glen had stopped by another gal’s house on a Saturday night to ask her for a date and she was not home, so he went to Dorothy’s! Dorothy thought this was so funny as she laughed while telling the story and when I asked her if everyone in the family knew the story, she thought about it and said no one actually had ever asked. She has such a sense of humor and takes such good care of Glen as he is a touch older and can no longer drive. She is still driving and running the household on her own and get out pretty often even in their older age. I get hand written, yes you read that right, HAND WRITTEN letters from her. (Unheard of these days!) And they are filled with hilarious anecdotes about her life and daily activities- just a joy to read and even have a chat with on the phone.

Michael works for a a national brand that keeps him on the road at least 3 weeks a month most months and therefore hasn’t had a lot of time to visit with his Grandparents. It is quite a hike to drive up from Chicago and has been near impossible to fly in to Clear Lake, until now!

How great would it be to give Michael this amazing Christmas surprise to spend some much needed time with his elderly Grandparents before time runs out. Unfortunately, the truth is that they aren’t getting any younger and if Grandma has any stories like the one when she first met Glen- I think Michael would be in for a real treat to hear a few more!

What would they all do you ask? Well, I’ve done a little research and asked Glen and Dorothy what their favorite things are and I have come up with a few on my own so here goes:

  1. Michael loves to cook and Grandma has some of the best family recipes. What good would they do if she doesn’t have the ability to pass them on to her grandson? She makes world famous Ham-Balls, fresh jams, dressings, holiday cookies and pies to die for! Michael would start by learning these recipes and cooking and baking with Grandma.
  2. Michael loves to entertain, and I hear they have karaoke at the VFW some nights. How fun would it be to take them down for a cup of coffee and a song of THEIR choice to make them feel special.
  3. Since they can no longer travel far distances, a Caribbean Cruise is out of the question, but I hear the Lady of the Lake cruise is quite the experience and believe they would have the time of their life given the opportunity to take one on a nice summer evening.
  4. I hear Half Moon is a great spot for steak dinners and a place they have been frequenting for years! Grandma has a birthday in May- and that may be a perfect time to celebrate 92 years.
  5. Sevens Star is Grandpa’s pick for waffles and he gets up pretty early now a days to enjoy the most important meal of the day. How great would it be to have Michael join them for once?
  6. PM Park is another spot they really enjoy especially for the Cinnamon Rolls.

 

  1. To top it all off, Music in the Park is something they also really like to do. They never pack a picnic, but Michael being the chef driven guy he is, can be responsible for this and wow them with some of his specialties.

How does that sound, Santa? Like a dream? Well, it is. People take time for granted, I see it every day. I want this for Michael so he can make some special memories as well as giving his Grandparents an experience they will never forget.

You may be wondering who I am. I am Michael’s girlfriend of 5 years. And if you choose him, I will buy a seat on the same plane and come with to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. How’s that for a deal?

So what do you say Santa? Do you have a spot in your heart for a Clear Lake holiday?

Let me know if you have any questions. I’m waiting to hear from you!

Merry Christmas.

With all my hope,

Jessica