Burlington Dads ‘Miles for Smiles’ event grants supercar dreams to sick children

For most people, a Lamborghini is something you dream about. But for 15 children supported by Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada, that dream became a reality today.

The first-ever “Miles for Smiles” event took families on a supercharged road trip through Halton Region. Despite the pouring rain, nothing could dampen the smiles or the memories created along the way.

The event was organized by the Burlington Dads. The convoy took the children on a journey of more than 41 miles, starting at Grand Touring Automobiles in Burlington, making its way to Kelso Conservation Area in Milton, and returning to Burlington to finish the day at Hagerty Garage and Social.

“We’re supporting the Starlight Children’s Foundation which is some sick kids in the neighbourhood in the Southern Ontario area, and we’ve matched each of the kids up with a Lamborghini to go for a dream day in a dream car,” said Matt Stevenson, director of Burlington Dads.

Stevenson noted that the rain could not slow the event down. “We’ve had an excellent day so far. Every one of the Lamborghini owners who registered did show up today despite the weather, which I could not be more thankful for.”

The cars proved to be loud, fast, and hard to miss, but organizers emphasized that the real power of the day was the ability to make the children feel like the centre of the universe.

For Brody Johnson, a Starlight child, the navigation didn’t overshadow the experience. “It’s really nice. When we were driving, we took a bunch of wrong turns but that don’t matter,” Johnson said.

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For Maxen Oshanek — a Starlight child who has gone through years of surgeries for multiple rare conditions — the day was about taking a break from hospitals and just enjoying the ride.

“I really liked how the doors would just go straight, like they would just go up,” Maxen said.

A quick pit stop at Kelso Conservation Area brought everyone together for a barbecue, where some of the children, including Maxen’s supportive sister, Mila, got their faces painted while braving the weather.

American auto enthusiast and YouTuber Ed Bolian also made an appearance, spending time with the families and helping make the day even more memorable.

The impact of the event was deeply felt by the parents in attendance.

“Days like this just make my kids so happy,” said Catherine Oshanek, Maxen’s mother. “They go to school on the Monday and they tell everyone and they rave to everybody about it. They’re so happy. It’s amazing.”

While “Miles for Smiles” ended with a charity Cars and Coffee event back in Burlington, the participating children are heading home with memories that may last a whole lot longer than the ride itself.

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