Fantasy Flight a dream come true for local kids

Instead of waiting for Santa Claus to come to them, a group of needy kids in the Colorado Springs area went to him.

Fifty kids, most under the age of 10, were chosen for the annual Fantasy Flight on Saturday at the Colorado Springs Airport.

The event included dinner at the beginning and a party at the end. In between, the kids boarded a SkyWest Airlines jet for an imaginary trip to the North Pole — a trip that actually goes over Pueblo and back, lasting about 30 minutes.

Many of the kids had never been on a plane.

“Nobody got scared, nobody freaked out,” said flight attendant Michele Warren. “I didn’t notice anybody. They all did a good job.”

Kris Dalton, a father of three daughters, spoke for many of the families attending the event.

“We’d like to do a lot more for the kids, but finances are tight and we don’t have a lot of money,” he said. “So this is something really special.”

The Junior League sponsors the event with Head Start, SkyWest and the airport.

“I think the pool of those in need is always going to be there,” said Johnna Hayes, a Junior League representative. “We do what we can to help, and we thank the many donors who contribute.”