Here is a collection of photos and video clips to illustrate how Daniel Ballard is a real life "Magic Maker".
He brought support, kindness, comfort, and some much needed joy to me, my family, and our communities during
the toughest year of our lives.
See for yourself why Daniel Ballard is my Nominee for
Disney Magic Maker!
Creating Some Disney Magic...at Home
Since we couldn't go anywhere during the pandemic and Disneyland was closed, Daniel set up a mini version of the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean in his house house to bring a bit of Disneyland to us.
He built all of the installations in the video... for just 6 people.
Helping a Local Child Stay Safe
When Daniel heard from a local school nurse that a special needs girl got lost, Daniel raised money to get her family a GPS device so she'd never get lost again.
To see the website Daniel made to raise the money for this effort... click here.
Helping Our Family In A Crisis
After my parents passed away suddenly near Sacramento, CA we had to pack up their home and move my sister to a new home in Seattle.
This was during the severe West Coast fires last summer. When we tried to pick up the moving truck we had reserved they told us none were available anywhere between CA and WA due to the fires. We were at a loss until Daniel volunteered to drive his truck overnight, 600 miles so he could tow a trailer with all our belongings back to Seattle, WA.
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Push-up Challenge
for PTSD and Mental Health Awareness
Daniel participated in a 25 day push-up challenge to raise awareness of people struggling with PTSD and other mental health challenge. He produced and posted highly-creative, themed videos each day that promoted local organizations serving people with mental health issues including veterans, People of Color, seniors and LGBTQ individuals.
Click on the thumbnails to the right to see the full videos.
Creating Covid-19 Safe
Interactive Art Experiences
The first summer of the pandemic, Daniel created Covid-19 safe "attractions" that people could sign-up online to come enjoy.
These included a "Musical Shooting Gallery" and "The Chyrsalis"; an interactive audio-visual experience where participants meet an wise alien intelligence that wants to studying the human race.
Dancing Together...
While Staying Safely Apart
Modeled after CDC quarantine tents, Daniel created 3 "Covid Corals"; full separated spaces with clear walls that let 3 different households get together for a much needed dance party, while staying safely apart from one another.
An Imagineer at Heart
Inspired by a lifetime of loving the works of Disney Imagineers, Daniel has filled his house with whimsical artistic creations. He took an online course on Imagineering where he designed his own Dark Ride attraction.
Daniel was so proud of completing the Imagineering course that when he found out they did not have a certificate of completion... he made his own to triumphantly hang on the wall.
Good Brother
When Daniel's brother was hospitalized with Covid-19, Daniel took supplies to the rest of the family who was also sick but in quarantine at home. He even masked up to fix a door at the house that was damaged during a storm and got stuck making it hard for them to get fresh air into the house.
Good Son
As with most of us, Covid has been very hard on Daniel's mother. The pandemic has left her feeling cut off from her sons, so Daniel made her a mothers day video.
Later, things got worse when her brother, Daniel's Uncle, passed away in a nursing home. With much of the family unable to come out to help, Daniel supported his mother in making all the funeral arrangements. In his true fashion, Daniel made a creative tribute to his uncle and collected photos from everyone in the family to make a memorial video to post online for all the people who could not attend the memorial in person.
Getting the Masks Out!
Early in the pandemic, Daniel organized people to make masks, which he delivered to local front line workers who did not have them and whose employers were not yet providing masks. He even shipped some masks off to churches and libraries in other states.
