Neverland Comes Back to Life Again

On February 26, the magic of Michael’s land will live again. On that day, Michael’s friends are set to host a group of underprivileged children from the city—of course, if Michael were alive, he would have arranged this party himself. But since the gates of Neverland are closed, this time the party location will be Disneyland. Thirty underprivileged children from Los Angeles—children who have never been to an amusement park—will go to Disneyland with the support of Michael Jackson’s One Million Portrait Team. Their lives and education are supported by one of the institutions backed by Michael. David Eilan, the designer of Michael’s portrait, says that if Michael were alive, he would have invited these kids to his Neverland. Jerry Biederman, the producer of the Emmy-nominated Michael Jackson’s Portrait network and the manager of the Michael Jackson’s Portrait program, has planned this project. He says: “Since Neverland is no more, we want to turn Disneyland into Neverland—even if only for one day.” What Is Michael’s One Million Portrait? After Michael’s death, Jerry and David created a website so that fans could help design Michael Jackson’s one-million-point portrait by joining. The way it works is that for each person who joins the site, an artist adds one point to Michael’s portrait. Michael’s portrait is completed using one million points. The website is so active and dynamic that people refer to it as a Facebook just for Michael Jackson. This international fan network has, so far, been behind many projects, one of which was providing patchwork blankets for Michael’s children. These blankets were made at the expense of fans from all over the world, and were decorated with their messages and notes. Of course, despite all these fans around the world, the portrait project is still not finished and needs more promotion and more members to be gathered. So if you haven’t joined this site yet, act now and let your friends know too. (Join the site - Join the MJ.com Forum) Neverland The vast Neverland ranch from 1988 to 2005 was Michael Jackson’s home in Santa Barbara County, California. In creating this place, he was inspired by Disneyland and his passion for bringing back the childhood era he never wanted to let go of. Various charities brought sick, disabled, or underprivileged children to this ranch so they could enjoy its free attractions: the zoo, the pond, the cinema, the amusement park, and its food. As soon as they arrived, “Big Al”—Mr. Alan—went to welcome them. He was responsible for providing security for the kids in the amusement park. But soon his circle of responsibilities went beyond that, and he also checked on other areas of Neverland. He also hosted famous people who were invited to Neverland so these children could see their heroes up close. Over these 15 years, Michael had developed a close friendship with Big Al. Al Scanlan, who is a supporter of the Michael Jackson’s Portrait network, along with other members of this site— including music star Motown Diana Ross, comedian George Lopez, C-Span host Larry King, Goldies Knight, the legendary soul singer, Adam Lambert, and members of the Jackson family—will be the hosts for the children at the entrance to Disneyland. Big Al says: “Neverland was built to create a memory of a magical day full of joy and happiness in the lives of those sick or underprivileged children. The impact that a one-day visit by these children to Neverland would have on their lives was beyond belief. Being the representative of Mr. Jackson and making it possible for these children to experience a dream day was a privilege for me.” Neverland was closed in 2006. Michael felt that his sacred land had been insulted. In 2003, Neverland was raided by police forces, and the prosecutor called it an evil place. After he was acquitted of all charges, he left Neverland forever. Big Al continues: “It’s a shame. Even all the photos and videos taken can’t describe what it was like to spend a day in Neverland. This is something you can only understand by experiencing it.” He expresses hope that one day Neverland will be reopened as a pilgrimage site for Michael’s fans. “He wanted this place to be a tourist attraction, as long as the children’s charity also gets a share of its profits.” Source: eMJey.com / The Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait