12.08.2015
Treehouse Families Celebrate the Season
For the 5th year in a row, the Seattle Center Monorail and Downtown Seattle Association helped Treehouse families create lasting holiday memories together at the Ride Into the Holidays event in Seattle on November 30th.
The events began as Treehouse families arrived at the Seattle Center Monorail platform, where they received VIP event badges and warmed up with hot cocoa and treats. Before hopping on the Monorail train, families enjoyed carnival-like entertainers, including a caricature artist, magician, and a balloon artist.
When the train conductor announced that it was time to head to the Holiday Carousel in Westlake Park, families boarded the private Monorail train and took off towards the lights of downtown Seattle. As the train made its way through the city, families were surprised by a raffle. Thanks to generous donations from local Seattle attractions, each family walked away with tickets to experiences like the Pacific Science Center, EMP Museum, USS Turner Joy Naval Museum, Seattle Children’s Museum, and Goldfinch Tavern at the Four Seasons Hotel. Additionally, each family received tickets from the Woodland Park Zoo and Seattle Aquarium so they could continue to make happy memories in days to come.
After arriving at Westlake Center, the parade of families headed across the street to Westlake Park to view the tree lighting celebration. The festive spirit was contagious as families watched holiday musical performances and enjoyed refreshments provided by Starbucks. And as fireworks filled the night sky, our families boarded the Holiday Carousel and took the inaugural first spin!
Here are a few words from our kids’ caregivers about their experience at the event this year:
“We had a fantastic time! Riding the monorail was one of the highlights for sure, as none of my kids had ever done that. The fact that we got to ride the carousel before it opened to the public also made them feel somewhat like celebrities. A lot of ‘firsts’ happened for our kids that night that I think they will remember for a long time to come. You all are doing such a great work and we feel blessed to be receiving such unique opportunities for our children.” -Kim
“Oh, how we enjoyed the Monorail and the lights. The whole event was just beautiful. The kids were just taken away by it. From the time they got on the platform, to get the balloons made, drawing of their faces, to the treats–We thoroughly enjoyed it. You are doing a wonderful job by making the children feel so special. Thank you!” –Barbara
“Thank you, thank you, thank you for doing this for our kids! We have a 3, 2, and 1 year old right now and they loved it! It was super nice to have the snacks and balloons while we waited for the Monorail ride. Even the magician was able to capture their little attention spans remarkably well! The absolute favorite was the “train” (monorail). We also won one of the raffle prizes and so are headed to Zoolights tonight! We’re excited and so grateful for all Treehouse and its people do. Thanks!”–Katie
Thank you to the Seattle Center Monorail and Downtown Seattle Association for making this night so special for our families year after year!
About the Author
Emily Snitker is the Marketing and Communications Specialist for Treehouse. She is thankful for the opportunity to share the stories of Treehouse students, families, and supporters with the community.