Lindsey Bouquet, an 8th grader from North Middle School in Grants Pass, OR will travel cross country to New York City for the 2010 Macy’s Day Parade to support her friends and members of the Grants Pass High School marching band: the first group from Oregon ever to participate in this prestigious event. The SYTA Youth Foundation is funding the trip for Bouquet, a courageous cancer patient, and her mother. Bouquet thought her dream of one day marching in the parade would be halted with the diagnosis of an aggressive bone cancer but with the help of SYF, her dream will become reality.
The SYTA Youth Foundation is partnering with member, World Projects International, to coordinate the trip.
“A story like Lindsey’s is why SYF was founded 10 years ago,” said Marie Martin, chair of the SYF Board of Trustees. “So many deserving children are unable to take advantage of student youth travel opportunities for a variety of reasons. SYF enriches a child’s education in ways that no classroom can deliver and provides the funds for them to participate when they cannot otherwise afford to travel with their class or youth group. While Lindsey’s case is unique, her story captured our hearts and we were pleased to have the resources to finance this once-in-a-lifetime experience for her.”
Bouquet is an avid musician and shared her dream with her band director who facilitated the grant through SYF and World Projects International. The Make-A-Wish Foundation granted her wish for new instruments for the North Middle School Band, and several of those students will also be participating in the trip to New York.