ALTOONA – The Altoona Curve team is partnering with Ashley Furniture Home store - for its annual Hope to Dream program. The event gives beds to kids and families in need but the day had more surprises in store for those that went to the field.
"It's been a really good day ... like we got to enjoy and have some time with the team," mother Stephanie Remes said.
Even though the baseball game was canceled, the rain didn’t stop several local families from receiving the surprise of a lifetime.
Several children were invited to People's Natural Gas Field for a day of fun Sunday afternoon.
The kids and their families met with Loco, the team mascot, and some the Altoona Curve players.
Even though the rain canceled the game, the biggest surprise was still to come.
"It's something that we started a few years ago to help kids in the community by giving them the gift of a good night sleep," Ashley Furniture director of marketing Michael Mealro said.
Over 40 children were surprised with a brand-new bed.
"I was really surprised, I was amazed they gave her a bed ... so she could have her own bed in her room," Remes said.
The partnership between the Altoona Curve, Ashley Furniture and Blair County Community Action -- brought beds and other gifts for local families who needed them.
"Ashley recognizes the important of a good night sleep and unfortunately there are many kids that are in the community that currently don’t have a good night sleep,” Mealro said. “Whether they're sharing a bed, sleeping on a sofa or you know sleeping with one of their parents ... or something like that. "
"She's really happy, she's really happy with everything she got," Remes said.
The kids were thrilled with their new bedroom sets and not even the rain could take the smiles off their faces.
"To get her moved down here, this was one of the biggest things that she needed to officially stay," Remes said.
"Those 10 seconds -- when the kids run up the stairs-- makes it all worth it because they see those beds, many of them never had their own bed. It's moving for us," Mealro said.
This was the third annual event; Ashley Furniture said they plan to continue this tradition for as long as possible. Meanwhile, Remes and her daughter said they’ll be up late –-- setting up her new bed.
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