Nineteen-year-old Luke from Saint John, NB loves everything about Italian food: cooking, finding new recipes, eating, and sharing his passion with his friends and family. Luke is also fascinated by the Saint John transit and knows all the routes, collects the schedules, and holds the drivers in high regard. So it was no surprise to his family that for his Shine Dream, Luke wanted to host his friends and family at Italian by Night, a fancy local restaurant, and arrive there in style on the city bus.
In addition to his family, Luke invited his support worker, Dave, his go-to for many years for advice and a friendly chat. Living with cerebral palsy, Luke requires assistance with all aspects of his daily living and has appreciated the support of his caregivers and friends. He also invited Stacey and Kent from his therapy horse riding center. Luke says, “Everyone I invited is very important to me. I chose my guests to show each of them how much I appreciate their constant support. They always make sure I have fun and enjoy life to the fullest.”
After their decadent dinner, Luke’s friend and bus driver, Harold (who was also a dinner guest), and treated the guests to a surprise behind-the-scenes tour of the Saint John transit facility. It was a delightful end to Luke’s special night out on the town.
To spark memories of his experience, Luke also received a new pasta machine and access to online cooking classes as part of his Shine package. For someone who eats pasta every day for lunch, both the machine and classes will last him well into his future culinary adventures.
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Note: At the time of his Shine Dream, restrictions were eased in New Brunswick and we were able to complete his Dream while adhering to the safety protocols.
