The wish applications that are mailed to Kids Wish Network get sent to me. I always enjoy opening up the envelopes and meeting a new child that we may end up granting a wish for.

Sometimes there are very sad pictures of little boys and girls who wear their illness on the outside, and other times the wounds are buried inside.

I think that the best part about getting the applications is checking out what each child is wishing for. Our wish coordinators try very hard to get each child their first wish, but sometimes that is impossible.

For instance, just today I received an application for a child who wanted to go to Outer Space. Unfortunately, that would not be a possibility for a wish for obvious reasons. Fortunately, our wish coordinators always ask for three wishes to ensure that at least one of the wishes will come true.

So for all those families out there who have received a wish application from us, send it in! I can’t wait to meet your child!

Elizabeth
Writer/Wish Referral Specialist

I can’t believe that Christmas is next week!

For me, the holidays are a time to spend with family and friends; a time for giving, wonderful food and smiling faces. Very little brings me more joy than seeing the looks on the faces of my family members when they receive the perfect gift. Excitement, laughter and anticipation is everywhere.

Even though the malls are filled with people rushing to buy last minute gifts, there is a certain glow on their faces and a twinkle in their eyes. And even though times are tough, the holidays give us hope and much needed togetherness.

I hear stories this time of the year from wish sponsors about all they are doing to make this time of year special for those in need. Their hearts go out to those who can’t afford the simple things in life and they jump on the chance to help.

The Holidays are a wonderful time! I want to wish all of our wish children, their families, and everyone at Kids Wish Network a very happy and safe holiday season.

Megan
Development Department

I’d just like to welcome Jill, our new internet researcher. She’s getting some really great information for our wish funding specialists and is well on her way to becoming a real “Development Diva”! We’re glad to have you, Jill! Welcome to the team!

Melissa
Development Department

As I returned to the office today, I thought about my great experience meeting with the most wonderful family over the past weekend. I met wish teen Cindy, her mom and sister in Pittsburgh, where her wish came true to meet the Pittsburgh Steelers.

We all arrived at the Steelers practice field on Saturday and Cyndi watched in excitement as they practiced their plays. After they finished, they all began to walk over and sing Christmas carols to Cindy. She met her favorite players, Troy Polamalu, Ben Roethlisberger and Hines Ward plus many more.

After that, we walked over and got a tour of the offices where they go over plays and where the “real” Super Bowl trophies are displayed.

On Sunday, Cindy, her mom and her sister headed over to their box seats at Heniz Field where they got to watch the Steelers play up close.

Cindy and her family were so thankful for everything the Steelers had done for them. I’m so glad to have met Cindy and her family. Thank you, Cindy. I hope you had the time of your life!

Vanessa
Wish Department

The term “corporate greed” has been used in abundance this past year. It’s impossible to pick up a newspaper, magazine or scan a website without reading/hearing about selfish, swindling Executives whose gluttonous actions and decisions have resulted in the massive downward spiral of our economy.

ATTENTION all cynics, pessimists, skeptics and untrusting citizens out there (and yes, I was one of them before this weekend!)… THERE ARE LOTS of good, generous and big-hearted people in this world, and many of them reside and work in the Philadelphia area!

Our ‘assignments’ commenced about 2 months ago when the trifecta of Kids Wish Network, Shriners Hospitals for Children – Philadelphia, and JAKKS Pacific/CDI (who donated a mind-boggling $100,000 worth of toys) agreed to coordinate a HOLIDAY OF HOPE celebration the first weekend in December. With fingers crossed, my colleagues and I contacted various vendors, dialing, emailing and faxing potential sponsors in search of donations. Our wish list included: a DJ, face painter, clowns, balloon artists, food, drinks, decorations, games and anything else that would lend itself to a “party atmosphere” for these 250 deserving children (Shriners patients and their often neglected siblings). We divvied up the categories – my “partner in crime” was in charge of obtaining entertainment while I tackled food & beverages.

I’m not good at asking for things – money, items, rides… so this task was certainly a challenge! Unfortunately, there were a number of companies who never returned my calls and emails despite my persistent ways. Others politely declined; their charitable dollars had been depleted for the year, their funds were allocated to other philanthropic causes, and/or their company had taken a financial hit. I learned quickly not to take these ‘rejections’ personally, and moved on to the next phone call.

The HOLIDAY OF HOPE celebration took place this past Saturday (December 5th – a date that will remain with me for a long time) on a gray, wintry afternoon at 3551 North Broad Street.

The first sponsor to walk in the door was APPLEBEE’S (2501 Aramingo Avenue). Lester Franklin and his hospitable team arrived pre-event to prep/cook 120 lunches for our volunteers who generously relinquished part of their weekend to assist us and “spread the joy”. Speaking of volunteers, they all donned HOLIDAY OF HOPE t-shirts (reflecting the names of ALL our wonderful sponsors) thanks to J.P. TEE’S, INC.

As the event approached, more and more vendors arrived, bundled up from the snow that had just started falling. It was a family affair for PEACE A PIZZA (1652 Chestnut Street) as Ron Baban and his daughter marched in with 15 piping hot pies, and CHICK-FIL-A reinforced their infamous “Eat Mor Chikin” slogan by serving 1,200 chicken nuggets.

And since this is (was!) Philadelphia, a party just wouldn’t be a party without… cheesesteaks! Many thanks to both DALESSANDRO’S STEAKS AND HOAGIES (600 Wendover Street) and JAKE’S PHILADELPHIA CHEESESTEAKS (16th Street & Chestnut Street) for delivering mouth-watering sandwiches Philly-style! Also joining in the celebration was TAYLOR’S BAR AND GRILL (Cherry Hill, NJ) who donated French fries for the families to enjoy.

I first read about Kate Carrara a/k/a BUTTERCREAM CUPCAKE LADY, on www.philly.com, and was fascinated by this career changer’s story – a former attorney who now sells homemade treats from a truck that makes stops throughout Center City. Kate was one of the first sponsors to confirm her attendance without hesitation. We had presented the idea of a Make-Your-Own-Cupcake Station – and Kate not only delivered the concept, but the cupcakes!!! ..And while we’re on the subject of cakes, let’s not forget the amazing “Aces of Cakes”-like sheet cake donated by THE RESTAURANT SCHOOL AT WALNUT HILL COLLEGE. The chefs and students outdid themselves this year (they also donated in 2006) and we can’t thank them enough!

And to top of the onslaught off sugar-y snacks, TASTYKAKE also joined us again this year, donating over 300 scrumptious mini chocolate cakes for the children. Let’s just say that Marie-Antoinette would have been proud!

And finally, special thanks to the Mom & Daughter team (Sharon & KaLitha) at SHARON’S BALLOONS, who created a magnificent, eye-catching balloon arch that rose high above the room for all to see. CIRCUS TIME AMUSEMENTS AND ENTERTAINMENT (Pennsauken, NJ) donated several carnival-style games which the children loved!

As cliché as it sounds, these participating sponsors truly went ‘above and beyond’ and we could not have executed this very special event without their products, resources and smiling employees, a validation that the holiday spirit is overflowing in the City of Brotherly Love!

~Susan
HOTM Facility Coordinator

This past weekend was probably one of the best weekends I have ever had. A team from KWN headed north to Philadelphia to host a Holiday of Hope party at the Shriners Hospitals for Children. After months of planning, we finally got to see everything come together and it couldn’t have gone any better!

Hundreds of children traveled to the hospital to spend the afternoon dancing with Spongebob and Elmo and feasted on pizza, cheese steaks, cake and more!

The best part of the afternoon was standing back and just watching – watching the kids smiling and watching the parents watching their kids. These kids had been through so much with their treatments and therapies but you could just look at their faces and see those worries were the farthest things from their mind. They were laughing and playing and enjoying what they do best – just being a kid.

Our vendors were great also! This weekend wouldn’t have been possible without them. Since they were so gracious to donate their time, I didn’t want them to feel they had to stay around any longer than they had already committed to. But when the time came for the party to end no one was ready to stop! The DJ (Cutting Edge Entertainment) kept spinning tunes; the face painter and air brush tattoo artist (Natalie Foxhill – Amazing Face Painting and Beth Miller – Creations by Beth) still had a line and kept right on working with smiles! Everyone was great!

Events like this are such a special time for KWN. If we are able to distract the kids for even a few hours and make sure they enjoy themselves, all the planning and stressing on our part was well worth it!

Margo
HOTM Facility Coordinator

There is such a variety when it comes to what these children want for their wishes. There’s a girl who wants a zebra striped room with red accents, a boy who got a log cabin playhouse, the little girl who wanted only to buy things for her Lhasa Apso, the boy who wanted to go back in time to see dinosaurs (he went to the Smithsonian), the girl who wants to hunt ghosts, the boy who wants to visit Yellowstone…the list goes on. I just love hearing what these kids want. It makes me feel a little like one of Santa’s elves, listening in to what the kids are telling Santa. It’s a magical feeling.

Alicia
Editorial Department

Our Holiday of Hope party at Shriners Hospitals for Children-Philadelphia was awesome! When everyone got in Monday morning, they all had wonderful things to say about the event.

I am excited that I got to be a part of the party. Although I didn’t get to attend, I was definitely there in spirit! I helped acquire a few donations for the event and also helped out with some table tents that were displayed on the tables. I thought about all the ladies that went and wondered how they were doing and how it was going. I have to say that I am a little jealous because while the team from Kids Wish Network was up in Philly, it snowed! I bet it was beautiful!

I am so happy that the party was a success and that all the kids enjoyed their time. There was so much work and planning that went in to this event, and in the end, if the kids are happy, it is all worth it!

Elizabeth
Wish Department

Day 2: Kingsport, Tennessee

Following an early breakfast, we headed down to the “Santa Train”, which turned out to be a very beautiful old Blue Train. It was sitting patiently waiting for us at the station behind the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce. When the ‘Food City’ trucks pulled up, everyone joined in and got to work loading the train with all the toys and food which had been packed in bins the previous evening.

When I first boarded the train, it looked very roomy and I wondered why everyone who had taken this trip before talked about what little space we would have on Saturday. Well, it didn’t take long for me to see why! The bins holding the gift bags for the boys and girls were stacked high and they blocked out all the light coming in from the windows. We also had tables full of larger toys that would not fit in the gift bags and would also need to be handed out. Then there was another carriage full of food bins and another carriage from which we would be constantly replenishing our supply to pass out. I was really starting to get excited!

So, while we went to lunch, the train departed Kingsport to make its way to Pikeville, KY where we would meet up with it the following day. But, just to recap on lunch, it turns out that I’m a ‘Southern Food’ lover! What delicious tasting food.

Back at the hotel, there was work to be done and I happily joined the CSX girls in their preparation for the big day. More volunteers started to arrive late in the afternoon and over dinner that evening I got to know some new friends that I would be working closely with on Saturday. It was fun! They even had a Christmas tree in the room which was very festive! Don’t I have a hard job? LOL

Stay tuned in to read the next installment…

Ashley
Distribution Department

Not literally, but I’m really excited about an event that a few of our representatives are attending over the weekend: our Holiday of Hope “kickoff” party at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Philadelphia!

The last Holiday of Hope party we hosted there was a huge success! I’ve heard about some of the activities our Facility Coordinators have planned for this coming Saturday and I simply can’t wait to hear all about it when they get back in on Monday!

We’ve sent the hospital a “gift bank” of toys and gifts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for the sick children there and I’m eagerly waiting to hear the stories of how happy the kids are. I can practically see all those smiling faces now!

I’m sure it’s going to be a big hit that’ll be tons of fun for everyone involved, especially the kids. It really is all for them and they truly deserve it.

Stay tuned for when the girls get back. They’ll be so full of great stories that they’ll be eager to blog about them!

Shelley
Executive Director

Cindy’s wish is to meet the Pittsburgh Steelers, especially Ben Roethlisberger and Hines Ward. On Friday, December 4, Cindy will have her wish come true.

Cindy was only 6 years old when she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. She has since endured many surgeries and has survived both respiratory and kidney failures. Through it all Cindy maintains a positive outlook on life and you can actually see it in her face. She has a smile that just radiates her warmth and kindness.

The Tall Cedars of Lebanon sponsored a large part of Cindy’s wish costs, so I can’t wait to let them know about her visit with the Steelers and all the other wonderful activities she will experience.

Enjoy, Cindy, you deserve it!

Donna
Development Department

As the holiday season comes upon us so quickly, let us take a moment to reflect on how truly lucky we are.

For me, my children and my grandchildren are fed, warm and, more precious than that, they are healthy.

The kids we help here at Kids Wish Network have such resilience and it warms my heart to know that even though we can’t change what life has dealt them, as far as their health goes, we can and do put those smiles back on their faces and in their hearts.

Doris
Development Department

This year I shared Thanksgiving with some friends of family members. Some of my family was talking about what my job is at Kids Wish Network and then the questions started. What do you do there? Isn’t it hard work? Doesn’t it break your heart to hear and see all the children who are so sick? So, even though I was sick myself, I took pride in answering all of the questions. It was so cool to see how interested everyone was in what I do.

What happened next is one of the many reasons I do what I do; I got to tell everyone WHY I work at Kids Wish Network. It’s such a wonderful and rewarding feeling to fund wishes for these very special children, I told them. It’s great to give them a glimmer of happiness that they will never forget. I learn about new places and towns I otherwise never would have heard of.

I really enjoy telling people about what I do at work all day: helping to make wishes come true for hundreds of children.

How many people in this world can say that?

Megan
Development Department

This holiday season is a lot more special to me than years before. Working here at Kids Wish Network and having to read about what some of our “wish kids” have to go through is just truly heartbreaking. I couldn’t imagine some of the things that they must endure every day; it makes me realize how much I take for granted. This year I’m even more grateful for the many good things in my life. Happy Holidays to everyone and their families!

Melissa
Development Department

I am in the process of putting together a playhouse for a sweet little girl named Jolie with leukemia and I just wanted to give a big thanks to some sponsors who have helped out. Kid Kraft went above and beyond by donating many items for the inside of her playhouse including a play kitchen, table and chairs, a tea set, wooden toy box and a large doll house. I would also like to thank Hawkins Homes, who is in the process of putting up her playhouse. A few other sponsors who have made this wish possible are Dali Wall Decals, Valerie Rice, M & D Supply and Orange County Building Materials Inc. This wish wouldn’t have come together so efficiently without their help.

Thanks again, everyone. I’m so glad we could get this together for her by Christmas!

Hopefully, pictures to come…

Vanessa
Wish Department