Cork On the Ocean
directionally challenged
The Josi thread just reminded me of something. I've been a wish granter for the Make a Wish Foundation (MAW) for a few years now and had a great partner (my sister) in Tampa Bay but since I've been up here haven't been able to connect with a good partner. Granters always work in teams.
The branch up here doesn't have many wish granters in this area (none in SoWal that I know of except me). It takes very little time. No guilt trips if they ask you and you can't do it and it doesn't really take any money (MAW pays for it) unless you want to contribute. Someone who knows lots of people that might comp stuff - maybe a limo ride, gift basket, dinner etc. would be great but not necessary.
It would take one short class of training to get approved. When MAW gets a kid, the team does a home visit to meet the family, determine the kid's wish, take photos, etc. One team member gets the paperwork signed from the guardians and one works with the kid to determine their wish, favorite stuff etc. There's a format that's used and I'm pretty good with difficult situations - kids that can't communicate or are very shy.
Then you send the home visit package to MAW and wait.
When the wish is ready to be granted, the team does a wish presentation which we have the freedom to plan. Maybe a pizza party if they like pizza, dinner at their fave restaurant, like McD's
, a beach party or just a visit to the home. This is when the team tells the family that the child's wish has been granted and give them everything for their wish (airline tickets, event tickets, money, etc). The team has autonomy (pretty much) to enhance the wish in any way they can think of which again MAW pays for within reason or we can get comps for enhancements. Then the family is on their way. That's it!
Usually the team doesn't go on the wish with them (darn) unless it's local. One of my favorites was a 12 YO boy who wanted to be principal of his school for a day so went to the school early with bunches of balloons, gathered up all the kids at the bus circle and had them all yell "Good morning, principal Norton" when his mom dropped him off. 5 different TV stations turned up for this one (rare) so we stayed around for a while to watch, take photos and make sure everything went smoothly. We stayed while Chris (our kid) made morning announcements on the PA system, signed lunch and hall passes, did TV interviews and then we left, had lunch and checked on arrangements for after school surprises. We went back to the school end of day where we had a limo waiting at the bus circle with his family in it. When Chris came out and saw the limo, he got so excited and went running for it because he knew it was for him. Hundreds of his classmates were cheering him on as he got in the limo and stood up to wave at them out of the sunroof :clap_1: as the limo pulled out taking him to his next surprise which was a Lobster dinner. My partner and I got to the restaurant first (the driver knew to take the long route) and we had the restaurant employees waiting in front to meet him, again with lots of balloons. We had dinner with the family and then cut out to get to his next surprise ahead -a shopping spree at Toy's R US (again with balloons and the store staff waiting outside to greet him.) By this time it was 6:00PM and several shoppers had stopped him and told him that he was on the news. When he spent his allotment ($1200 in his case) the driver loaded up limo which was overflowing with a bicycle, skateboard, tens of games etc sticking out of the trunk. A little boy saw Chris getting into the toy filled limo and asked me if he was Richie Rich
. We really didn't need to be there for his wish day because everything was planned ahead but we just wanted to make sure that he was treated like a star everywhere he went. It was our choice.
I have many stories like that and many great memories from my wish kids and not to blow my own horn, but I was touted by the office in Tampa as one of their best wish granters
so would be able to guide you along the way. One time we even dressed up in fairy costumes for a little 5YO girl that loved fairies 
It's one of the most rewarding things I've ever done and would love to be more active up here (only have had one wish kid up here so far) but really need a good partner that can give a little of their time and creativity and a lot of love. We could do 1 wish a year or 5. It's up to us. If anyone thinks that they might like to try this, please, please email me. Maybe we can get an active team of SoWal wish granters.
Thanks for letting me ramble but memories are the only thing we really get to keep forever. Hope someone might have interest.
The branch up here doesn't have many wish granters in this area (none in SoWal that I know of except me). It takes very little time. No guilt trips if they ask you and you can't do it and it doesn't really take any money (MAW pays for it) unless you want to contribute. Someone who knows lots of people that might comp stuff - maybe a limo ride, gift basket, dinner etc. would be great but not necessary.
It would take one short class of training to get approved. When MAW gets a kid, the team does a home visit to meet the family, determine the kid's wish, take photos, etc. One team member gets the paperwork signed from the guardians and one works with the kid to determine their wish, favorite stuff etc. There's a format that's used and I'm pretty good with difficult situations - kids that can't communicate or are very shy.
Then you send the home visit package to MAW and wait.
When the wish is ready to be granted, the team does a wish presentation which we have the freedom to plan. Maybe a pizza party if they like pizza, dinner at their fave restaurant, like McD's
, a beach party or just a visit to the home. This is when the team tells the family that the child's wish has been granted and give them everything for their wish (airline tickets, event tickets, money, etc). The team has autonomy (pretty much) to enhance the wish in any way they can think of which again MAW pays for within reason or we can get comps for enhancements. Then the family is on their way. That's it!Usually the team doesn't go on the wish with them (darn) unless it's local. One of my favorites was a 12 YO boy who wanted to be principal of his school for a day so went to the school early with bunches of balloons, gathered up all the kids at the bus circle and had them all yell "Good morning, principal Norton" when his mom dropped him off. 5 different TV stations turned up for this one (rare) so we stayed around for a while to watch, take photos and make sure everything went smoothly. We stayed while Chris (our kid) made morning announcements on the PA system, signed lunch and hall passes, did TV interviews and then we left, had lunch and checked on arrangements for after school surprises. We went back to the school end of day where we had a limo waiting at the bus circle with his family in it. When Chris came out and saw the limo, he got so excited and went running for it because he knew it was for him. Hundreds of his classmates were cheering him on as he got in the limo and stood up to wave at them out of the sunroof :clap_1: as the limo pulled out taking him to his next surprise which was a Lobster dinner. My partner and I got to the restaurant first (the driver knew to take the long route) and we had the restaurant employees waiting in front to meet him, again with lots of balloons. We had dinner with the family and then cut out to get to his next surprise ahead -a shopping spree at Toy's R US (again with balloons and the store staff waiting outside to greet him.) By this time it was 6:00PM and several shoppers had stopped him and told him that he was on the news. When he spent his allotment ($1200 in his case) the driver loaded up limo which was overflowing with a bicycle, skateboard, tens of games etc sticking out of the trunk. A little boy saw Chris getting into the toy filled limo and asked me if he was Richie Rich
. We really didn't need to be there for his wish day because everything was planned ahead but we just wanted to make sure that he was treated like a star everywhere he went. It was our choice. I have many stories like that and many great memories from my wish kids and not to blow my own horn, but I was touted by the office in Tampa as one of their best wish granters
so would be able to guide you along the way. One time we even dressed up in fairy costumes for a little 5YO girl that loved fairies It's one of the most rewarding things I've ever done and would love to be more active up here (only have had one wish kid up here so far) but really need a good partner that can give a little of their time and creativity and a lot of love. We could do 1 wish a year or 5. It's up to us. If anyone thinks that they might like to try this, please, please email me. Maybe we can get an active team of SoWal wish granters.
Thanks for letting me ramble but memories are the only thing we really get to keep forever. Hope someone might have interest.
But I need to do it!!
. Love the tiara girl. gotta save her :clap_1: