President

Meeting the President

Many children dream of meeting the President of the United States, and for Marc and TJ, that dream came true. This dream required patience and careful planning, as it had to be arranged around the President’s busy schedule and election campaign. However, with a little hard work Marc, 14, and T.J., 10, were able to meet President Bush in March 2005.

The Dream Factory of Rochester, The Dream Factory of Central Illinois and National Headquarters worked together to arrange a trip to Washington, D.C. for the two boys and their families. Marc and T.J. traveled to the White House where they met President George W. Bush, First Lady Laura Bush and even “First Dog” Barney. The children spoke with the President and then watched him take off in a helicopter from the White House lawn. Over the course of the week, Marc, T.J. and their families enjoyed a tour of the White House, a guided excursion to popular area monuments and memorials and a visit to area battlefields. The children were thrilled with their presidential visit and T.J. even vowed to never again wash the hand that the President had shaken!