The Christian Appalachian Project has partnered with Second Wind Dreams for the elderly program. Dreamweaver Zayda Flanery, in the McKee office, has trained her staff and volunteers in five local counties to complete “dream profiles” and fulfill the dreams and life-long wishes of the elderly participants.

Second Wind Dreams is a national non-profit organization, which realized the dreams of most elderly were simple and easy to fulfill. Founded in 1997, the program wishes to enhance the quality of life and change the perception on aging by the elderly. By partnering with private citizens, civic groups, and organizations, more than 450 “dreamweavers” have fulfilled over 2,000 dreams. These dreams are anything from the simple request for a new church dress to the lifelong dream of being reunited with a loved one after forty years. They deliver a message of hope to fight the triple threat of pain, boredom, and loneliness. Dreams can be very powerful.

The CAP employees and volunteers offer companionship and friendship to isolated and homebound seniors. The elderly in Rockcastle County have many dreams from the modern convenience of a microwave, traveling long distances to visit family, going to Disney World, obtaining and learning to use a computer to visiting the ocean.

As each dream unfolds, members of the local community also experience an older adult’s perspective and gain a greater appreciation for the elder person’s stage of life and potential. According to P.K. Beville, founder of the program, the effects of the dream linger on giving all involved a “second wind.”

The Second Wind Dream Program shows the world we are never too old to dream.