July 24, 2024
Railbookers Group (RBG) and its Amtrak Vacations brand partnered with Make-A-Wish® this spring to grant the wish of a 17-year-old girl, who wished to travel on an overnight train through the mountains.
Leni, who has a rare nervous system disorder, is a huge fan of Amtrak and train travel and wished to spend the night on a train and see the mountains and stars from her train car. She took to the rails with her mother and father and spent the night onboard Amtrak’s California Zephyr train as part of her wish to visit the Rocky Mountains, which was made possible through RBG’s proud partnership with Make-A-Wish.
“Since we launched our partnership with Make-A-Wish last year, we’ve been thrilled to play a small part in helping add joy to the lives of children with critical illnesses,” said Frank Marini, President and CEO of Railbookers Group. “Seeing the pictures and hearing about Leni’s wonderful experience on her Amtrak Vacation brought me so much joy as well, and we’re excited that hers is just the first of many more wishes we hope to play a role in coming true.”
Leni and her parents departed their home in the St. Louis, Missouri area and traveled on Amtrak first to Chicago, enjoying some sightseeing in the Windy City before heading overnight to Colorado. They spent their days exploring community gems and at night enjoyed stargazing from the penthouse suite of their Glenwood Springs hotel. For the final leg of their trip, they visited the vibrant city of Denver.
“There is nothing better in life than watching your kid enjoying herself,” said Kelly Briseno, Leni’s mother. “Her pictures just capture her unbelievable happiness. Amtrak Vacations was amazing and really made her feel like a VIP. She has her Amtrak water bottle and mug on her table at home on display.”
Railbookers Group’s partnership with Make-A-Wish is funded in part by the generosity of its customers, who can contribute $5 (or local equivalent) per passenger after booking a rail vacation with Railbookers or Amtrak Vacations, which is then matched by RBG. In addition, the company makes an annual corporate donation as well.
“We know the life-changing impact that wishes like Leni’s can have on wish kids and their families, and we these wishes wouldn’t be possible without partnerships with companies like Railbookers Group,” said Flo Bryan, Chief Corporate Alliances Officer at Make-A-Wish America. “We are so appreciative of RBG’s customers and their leadership and grateful for our partnership.”
To learn more about Railbookers Group, the leading provider of independent rail vacations worldwide, and its partnership with Make-A-Wish, please visit https://www.railbookersgroup.com/make-a-wish-partnership/.
About Railbookers Group
Railbookers Group is the home of Amtrak Vacations and Railbookers. Railbookers Group takes the complexity out of rail travel for its travel advisors and guests worldwide. With the largest selection of carefully crafted independent rail vacations, travelers can customize any of Railbookers Group’s rail travel experiences to the most sought-after rail-enabled destinations throughout the world.
Booking with Railbookers Group offers travelers a host of advantages, including:
⋅ Unparalleled knowledge from Rail Experts who know the best routes and connections, including luxury, scenic and overnight rail
⋅ Receive instant quotes for trains, hotels, sightseeing, transfers and more in one call, connecting the dots to save time
⋅ Flexible booking window from today to two years out across the entire product selection
⋅ Extensive product collection of customizable independent itineraries, including multi-country, multi-city, pre- and post-cruise, rail and sail, luxury, and more
⋅ Hundreds of cruise extension trips that can add to an existing sailing
⋅ 24/7 Emergency Line support from global staff to handle unplanned disruptions or issues that arise on trip
From world-class luxury trains to overnight sleeping trains on breathtaking scenic routes, Railbookers Group offers a complete selection of accommodations, sightseeing experiences, and dining options.
About Make-A-Wish®
Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Founded in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the #1 most trusted nonprofit operating locally in all 50 states throughout the U.S. Together with generous donors, supporters, staff and more than 20,000 volunteers across the country, Make-A-Wish delivers hope and joy to children and their families when they need it most. Make-A-Wish aims to bring the power of wishing to every child with a critical illness because wish experiences can help improve emotional and physical health. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 585,000 wishes in 50 countries worldwide; and more than 375,000 wishes in the U.S. and its territories alone. For more information about Make-A-Wish America, visit wish.org.
