NEW YORK – Dreams do come true! They did for 9 year-old Alan Bonilla, who lived a day in his dream career at the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Hamilton Base in Brooklyn, New York. Alan was selected to live his Loukoumi Dream Day by The Loukoumi Make A Difference Foundation as part of Loukoumi’s good deed programming with the Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens.

Alan has always said that when he grows up he wants to be in the Army because he wants to protect his country and help people. Alan experienced exactly that through this life-changing day at Fort Hamilton. He started the day as if he were entering the Army, undergoing testing, medical checks, interviewing with a career counselor, and signing an Army contract, followed by the oath of enlistment.

Alan was then taken to Taylor Field where he ground guided the LH-72 Lakota helicopter to land and then engaged with the pilots and the aircraft. It was then off to learn about and experience the army vehicles, HMMWV, JLTV and LMTV including a ride in the HMMWV.

After a great lunch at the USO for Warrior Wednesdays including a fun axe-throwing game, Alan was linked up with the soldiers from Empire Shield. He was introduced to personnel and equipment required for the mission and got to activate lights and sirens on the duty vehicle.

The day concluded with an inspiring joint formation of service members where Alan was honorarily promoted to Private First Class and presented with an award certificate and flag from CSM Hill flown over the base in honor of Alan.

Alan then dismissed the formation and was on his way with bags of keepsakes and a lifetime of memories, equipped with the tools to continue to dream of one day entering the U.S. Army and using his experience to make a difference in the world by protecting his country and helping people.

“Special thanks to LTC Rich Szabo for putting together a truly inspiring day with every last detail implemented with perfection and inspiration,” said Loukoumi Foundation President Nick Katsoris. “Thank you also to the countless others who contributed to this special day and for all you all do for our country including LTC Matthew Barack and Public Affairs Specialist Mark Getman. This experience made us prouder than ever to be Americans and thank you for making a difference in the world.”

The Loukoumi Foundation is a nonprofit organization that unites over 150,000 children in 30 countries to make a difference for causes they are passionate about. The Dream Day program teaches children that they can be anything they set their minds to if they work hard and believe in themselves and then use their dream careers to make a difference in the world. Past winners have watched a spaceship land on Mars from NASA’s mission control, danced with Misty Copeland at the American Ballet Theater, played football with Eli Manning and the New York Giants, shadowed a neurosurgeon, and cooked with Jon Bon Jovi at his JBJ Soul Kitchen, to name a few.

And as Loukoumi says: “Believe in yourself and dreams come true!”

Video of Alan’s Loukoumi Dream Day is available online: https://shorturl.at/3qVXL.