Call it the magic of the Magic Kingdom: Spend one day helping others in 2010, and Mickey Mouse may help you with vacation expenses.
A Disney program called "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" hopes to inspire people to contribute a day of service to a local community organization. For 1 million people, that generosity will be rewarded with a one-day ticket to either the Disneyland Resort in California or Walt Disney World in Florida.
Area nonprofit groups think it's a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious idea.
"Response has been overwhelming," says Kela Caldwell, development and marketing manager at HandsOn Twin Cities. "We've nearly filled our volunteer opportunities for three months."
The organization matches volunteers with opportunities at more than 300 nonprofits throughout the Twin Cities, including Arc Greater Twin Cities, Minnesota Literacy Council and People Serving People. When the program was announced in January, HandsOn scrambled to create more volunteer opportunities to meet the growing demand. Its website, www.handsontwincities.org, has a link to the Disney program and provides a search for qualifying volunteer opportunities.
It's not too late to participate.
Cox Newspapers contributed to this report.
