BARRY WILLIAMS/ Special

RIDING IN STYLE: Julia Pinotti, 2, a patient at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorder Center, and her father, Tom, enjoy the scenery during a free limousine ride to the 2006 Festival of Trees.

Carrie Pinotti watched as her twin daughters went round and round in the flying cars. Julia and Claire, 2, sported huge grins and giggled as they enjoyed the ride.

"Mommy, that was wild," they said and dashed for the carousel.

On Dec. 3, the twins and about 40 other patients and their families from the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorder Center had the 2006 Festival of Trees to themselves.

"It was so much fun seeing them enjoying themselves," Pinotti said. "We saw other kids we knew from the center, and they were doing just what kids should be doing: having lots of fun."

There hasn't been much time for family outings for the Pinottis since Memorial Day, when Julia's flu-like symptoms turned out to be hydrocephalus, requiring emergency shunt surgery and resulting in a diagnosis of an atypical rhapdoid, a rare and aggressive brain tumor. She is undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment, the tumor is shrinking and the family is hopeful.

"[The Festival of Trees] was an amazing event — so magical for all the families — and we are so grateful to everyone who made it possible," Carrie Pinotti said.

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta has hosted the patient preview party at the Festival of Trees for 15 years, and it gets bigger and better, said Maura Savage, LCSW, a social worker with the Children's Aflac Center.

"There are so many unsung heroes in our community who make this happen," Savage said.

Transporting the children and families in style to a private session at the Festival of Trees was the brainchild of the Georgia Limousine Association in 1992.

"My friend, Jon Harrer, president of VIP Limousine, and I thought it would be a great way for us to give back to the community and to give these kids an experience they'd never had," said John Stull, president of Premier: The Limousine Co.

It takes Stull a couple of weeks each year to line up 30 to 40 limousines and the volunteer drivers needed to drive the families to the event.

"Even though it's the morning after the SEC championship [football] game and most of the drivers were up late driving celebrities, they show up at Egleston (Hospital) early, in their tuxedos, to give our families the full VIP treatment," Savage said.

Stull has never missed the event. "It's so nice to watch the families being taken care of in this manner, and just seeing the kids' faces light up makes it all worth it," he said.

Teenage patients love to wear shades and pop their heads out of the tops of the limos as they ride down Ponce de Leon Avenue.

Because many of the young patients have compromised immune systems or are in wheelchairs, they don't get a chance to attend many other holiday events. "One mother was upset that she couldn't take her child for the traditional visit with Santa and was so happy [that] she cried when we told her about the party," Savage said.

Atlanta police provided a motorcycle escort for the caravan of limousines from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston to the Georgia World Congress Center and posed for pictures with the kids.

GE employees and hospital staff volunteers opened the Festival of Trees early so that patients and their families could have the place to themselves.

"They (volunteers) line the ramp and applaud them as the children walk in," Savage said.

The children are able to get a good look at the trees (including the special ones decorated in their honor), participate in the arts and crafts activities, ride the rides and visit Santa.

"When a child is undergoing cancer treatment, it's hard to celebrate the holidays," Savage said. "We wanted to create an event that allows a family to be a family and have fun together. We look on it as creating memories."

Carrie Pinotti said that, at first, Julia was overwhelmed by the winter wonderland and all the trees, but she soon loosened up and headed for the giant slide, which proved to be her favorite. The whole family went for a spin on the carousel, and the girls each received a stuffed bear, which each promptly named after herself.

They rode the train together, with Claire's arm around Julia's shoulder.

Separations caused by long days of treatment have been hard on both girls, who are used to playing together.

"They are best of friends and each other's cheerleader, so they are always thrilled to be back together," Pinotti said. "We made stockings, magic wands and gingerbread men and ended the day with cookies and ice cream sandwiches. It was wonderful, and we won't ever forget it."