Sixteen children from Almost Home were treated to a real Santa Sleigh Ride to the North Pole Dec. 5.

    Many of the children from Brighton had never been on a train or airplane. Everyone boarded a luxury limousine at Almost Home on Main Street on their way to Denver International Airport where they received boarding passes to their Santa flight. The T.S.A. had set up special security lanes for the star struck travelers to speed their journey. The tiny passengers then took the train to United’s Concourse B where they boarded their waiting airplane. The 20-minute flight to the North Pole featured in flight food, snacks and caroling by the Flight Crew.

    The event was sponsored by United Airlines and their employees. Rhonda Patterson – Eachus, of Brighton, is an operation supervisor with United and has coordinated the flight to the North Pole for three years.

    United Airlines has sponsored the annual trip for the past 16 years. This year, 78 children from the Starlight Foundation and Almost Home, along with another 60 family members and chaperones flew aboard United Santa Flight One to the North Pole to visit Santa.

    Each child is granted a wish list for Santa. Employees from United sponsor one or more children and work from the child’s list. Vendors from DIA also contribute food and other gifts.

    After landing and taxiing to the North Pole each child met with Santa where they received their gifts.