Dreams do come true and
             wishes can be fulfilled.

For 83-year-old Evelyn Roberts, a resident at Sunny Hill Skilled Rehab Center, 421 Doris Ave., her wish to ride a camel before she died came true before a parking lot full of onlookers on Thursday, Sept. 16.

Thanks to staff, Georgia-based Second Wind Dreams and the Joliet Police Department, Roberts was paid a visit from Einstein, an 18-year-old one-hump camel, rented from Jo-Dan Farms in Franksville, Wisconsin.

Staff, fellow residents, members of the media and other well wishers clapped and cheered as Einstein, with Roberts on its back, was led around the metal enclosure put up for the event.

Roberts isn't sure why she wanted to ride a camel. It might be because of the movies she watched while growing up. The camel riders fascinated her. It might be an offshoot of the horseback riding she did as a teen growing up in Joliet – although now she can tell you the two rides are very different.

(“… You rock. It's not like a horse where you go up and down.)

Roberts, who lost a breast to cancer at 78 and is now battling liver cancer, had shared her desire to ride a camel before she died with staff members. Activity Director Larry Lindholm contacted Second Wind Dreams, which grants wishes for nursing home residents.

Second Wind Dreams was happy to help, pledging to pay half of the $650 cost to rent the camel. When Lindholm went on WJOL 1340 AM to ask for contributions for the other half, Joliet's boys (and girls) in blue came to the rescue.

Within a day they pledged the other half; after just three days of passing the hat the group had collected $660. Meanwhile, Sunny Hill staff members and others were adding their contributions to the pot. Other money collected will go to future wish fulfillment.

Roberts, one of Catholic Charities' first Senior Companions, continued to think about others even while basking in all of the attention.

She hopes the media exposure surrounding her camel ride would help others. “I hope it helps somebody else now. I hope the organization (Second Wind Dreams) gets all the money it needs.”

After all, you're never too old to dream. Not even about a camel ride.