After the delivery of the Gift Bank, we received a survey from this wonderful facility with this quote on it:

“The items sent were greatly needed. Donations have been down this year (probably the economy). Ironically, it seems that when the economy is unstable, domestic violence rates and our client base increases. Our kids in the emergency shelter need things to do to consume their time. It can get very boring and tedious; mothers are usually stressed and depressed. Many needy children (i.e., our outreach kids, as well as our shelter kids) will be made happy during this holiday season due to your generous contribution. Thank you very much!”

This makes me so happy to know that there will be children that ordinarily have nothing can finally have something to call their own. It also makes me feel better that some of the stress and pressure will hopefully be taken off of these mothers.

Barbara Askin
Director of Distribution

While these thoughts are swimming (in trunks and sunglasses, no less) in distinctly warm pools at the back of my mind, I am talking to Wish Families who have come down from chilly places like Michigan to enjoy all the theme parks to be had in this state for their kids’ wishes. In our talks, they are constantly telling me how much they LOVE the weather here and how wonderful it was to wear shorts in November. A few families will even mention that they wish they could have brought the “nice Florida weather” back with them to their home states. I wish they had, too. I am very glad that the weather was a great break for them to enjoy their wish trips, but I can still wish for some semblance of fall weather before it freezes, can’t I?

Alicia
Editorial Department

Dasha is 14-years-old and suffers from Systemic Lupus Erythematosis. This illness affects her joints – similar to arthritis – and causes severe swelling. Many times, it is difficult for her to walk, as the illness affects her entire body. Last January, Dasha had bone marrow surgery and she also must stay out of the sun or stay covered while outside.

One day while watching the news, Dasha’s mom, Dorothy, saw a story about a child who had a wish granted by Kids Wish Network. Dorothy decided to refer her daughter for a wish. It didn’t take long before the family was talking to wish coordinator Vanessa and making arrangements for Dasha’s wish.

“She was very excited. She was telling everybody that she was going to Disney World,” Dorothy said. “She always liked rides and stuff and that is probably why she chose this for her wish.”

With the help of wish funding specialist Megan, Vanessa arranged for theme park tickets for Dasha and her family, spending money, a hotel stay, various dinners and a trip to a hands-on museum. Dorothy said that the hotel stay and the dinners were great.

“Everything was really nice and the food at Ponderosa was great,” she said.

While in Florida, the family visited The Magic Kingdom, Sea World and Busch Gardens. Dorothy said that experience at The Magic Kingdom was the best for Dasha.

“For Dasha, her favorite was The Magic Kingdom. She loved the parades and Cinderella,” she said.

Dorothy said the family had a great time and that Dasha’s wish definitely came true.

“Just seeing that Dasha was happy was the best part for me,” she said. “It was really good and I thank Kids Wish Network for doing that for her.”
Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make Dasha’s wish extra special: Cambridge Firefighters Local 910, The Royal Plaza Hotel, Pirates Dinner Theater, Ponderosa Steak House, The Cheesecake Factory, Wonderworks, Hampton Inn and Suites

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org.

Many people ask what our most common wish request is. Well, it’s probably no surprise that many of our kids want to visit the Florida Theme Parks.

In fact, it accounts for 38% of the wishes we grant!  It’s a great vacation for the entire family that includes airfare, accommodations, a car rental, tickets to several major Florida theme parks including Disney World, Universal and Sea World, meals and spending money.

We have hundreds of wonderful sponsors in the Orlando area who help us make these special wishes come true. They all deserve our thanks, but there are definitely a few that have reached the pinnacle of giving and deserve an extra big thank you. When you are in the Orlando area, look for our certificates and plaques on the walls of many restaurants, hotels, and attractions. You can be proud to know that you are supporting a business with heart.

Airtran flies many of our families to their Florida dream vacation at no charge to us. They are our “Guardian Angels” of the skies!

The beautiful Royal Plaza Hotel in the Walt Disney World Resort graciously hosts a great majority of our families each year. Not only do they provide them with deluxe accommodations, every family is treated like royalty from the moment they arrive. They may even find a few surprises in their rooms!

Every one of our families is treated to a wonderful time at Wonderworks, an amazing hands-on museum that the kids just love! Here they can try on a real space suit, landing the space shuttle in a simulator or even experiencing an earthquake! Check out the wonder of it all if you are in town!

We always end our wishes with a celebratory dinner at a really fun, themed dinner show – Pirates Dinner Adventure! The food is really yummy and our wish kids are always picked to be in the show! The kids have a swashbuckling good time and it’s a great way to end their special vacation.

It’s no wonder that visits to the Florida Theme Parks are our most popular wishes!

So, if you are lucky enough to find yourself in the Orlando area, please patronize these great businesses and thank them for all they do to help our kids. Without them, we would not be able to do what we do.

Madeline
Wish Department

Before her first birthday, Mariah was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and epilepsy. She has seizures on a daily basis, and relies on a walker or a wheelchair for mobility. Doctors are considering putting a pace maker into her chest to help control the frequency of her seizures.

When a professional fundraiser contacted Mariah’s mother Laurie and told her about Kids Wish Network and asked her if she knew of any children with life threatening illnesses, Laurie decided to refer her daughter. Together with the help of Wish Coordinator Vanessa and Wish Funding Specialist Megan, Mariah was soon on her way to Florida to see her wish come true.

Mariah’s swim took place at Theatre of the Sea in the Florida Keys. Laurie said that Mariah was so excited to be able to swim with the dolphins.

“She would rather be in the water than anywhere else,” said Laurie. “Watching Mariah with the dolphins and seeing how much she liked it was wonderful.”

Aside from setting up the family’s flight and swim, Kids Wish Network arranged for the family to stay at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, ride in the Key Largo Princess glass bottom boat, and dinner reservations were made at Outback Steakhouse, Key Largo Conch House and The Big Chill Restaurant.

“The meals were all wonderful. The last night at The Big Chill a man did balloon animals and Mariah loved watching him make them,” said Laurie. “And we got to sit out and look at the ocean while we ate our meal.”

Laurie said that everyone made Mariah feel so special. She said people kept coming up and asking her how she did.

“She loved it. She had squeals of delight. It worked well because we ended up with a dolphin that had done therapy and he just loved Mariah. He took her off on her own and pushed her feet right up on the shore,” said Laurie.

Laurie said that her experience with Kids Wish Network was wonderful and everyone made her and her family feel so comfortable.

“I think everybody had a wonderful time. I would tell anyone to refer their child to Kids Wish Network,” she said.

Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make Mariah’s wish come true: Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union, Dr. James T. Wolf, DDS, Fraternal Order of Police, Grace Lutheran Church, Moose Lodge #571, Outback Steakhouse, Theatre of the Sea, Key Largo Conch House, Alamo Car Rental, The Ocean Reef Club, Key Largo Princess Glass Bottom Boat and The Big Chill Restaurant.

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. Aside from granting wishes, Kids Wish Network also has several other programs which benefit children’s care facilities. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit www.kidswishnetwork.org