Mary Holton Parks ‘24 and Lilly Salvador ‘24 are co-presidents of Bolles’ oldest running club, also known as the Dreams Come True Club. They tell about their club’s mission and what they have learned since joining the club.

“The Dreams Come True Club is where a kid with a life threatening illness who was either recovering or still battling illness gets a dream… It’s not a doctor’s appointment, they get to do something that they usually wouldn’t get to do,” Salvador says. A dream may include a trip to somewhere of the Dreamer’s choice. “At the end of the year, we have a little party, and we show them that their dreams are fulfilled. Usually it’s like a trip to Disney.” Salvador says.

Parks describes being a co-president of the club as “really inspiring.” She loves being involved with this side of the community because it allows her to get connected with different families and allows her to learn more about them. “You don’t realize how connected you can be to something that you really don’t even know the half of… I think it’s like an honor to be able to give a dream to a kid and fulfill their dream,” Parks says.

Salvador feels very connected to the club and believes that the end result was worth the effort she and her peers put into it throughout the year. “It’s the most precious thing to watch and just hearing their story and knowing they’ve already gone through way more than I ever will,” Salvador said. She believes that joining the club has given her a different perspective on families with kids with life-threatening illnesses.

Parks and Salvador encourage their peers to join clubs, but also be active in their community. “I would encourage students to actually volunteer and help because… it’s a big thing when you join a club, but actually participating in it makes a huge difference,” Parks says.

Joining a club like Dreams Come True benefits both the community and yourself because it can show you another side of the community that you may not be used to seeing.