Wish Granting Training Sessions 2008

Please note that all schools participating in the Kids for Wish Kids program this year must attend a wish granting training session before receiving an assignment of a wish child, even if you have granted wishes in the past. The dates for these gatherings in 2008 are Tuesday, January 15th and Tuesday, February 19th. All meetings will be held at the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-South office from 4:00-5:00 p.m. The address is 1780 Moriah Woods Blvd. Suite 10 in the Moriah Woods Office Park located near Mt. Moriah and I-240. Feel free to call for directions and to r.s.v.p. New policies will be covered, ideas will be shared and questions will be answered in these one hour sessions. If you cannot make one of these sessions being a late dismissal school or some other significant conflict, Sally Whitehorn will arrange a one on one meeting to cover this important information. Thank you so much for granting incredible wishes for deserving children this year.

New Policies and Procedures 2007-2008

This year (2007/2008), the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-South has implemented a few new policies that will impact participants in the Kids for Wish Kids program. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Senior Development Coordinator Sally Whitehorn at 692-9507 (direct line) or by email at swhitehorn@midsouth.wish.org

1.) Please note that a wish sponsorship is not a dollar for dollar arrangement. The wish assigned to a school may or may not "cost" $5,000. The expenses could run a great deal more if the wish is a travel experience or significantly less in cases where the child wishes for a puppy or something small in scope. The $5,000 simply represents the average cost of a wish and is the level at which sponsors get the full privilege of actively participating in a wish granting experience to be held at the participant's desired location. Any excess funds are applied to the wishes of other children that may go well over the $5,000 amount. Please respect that any and all funds raised in the name of Make-A-Wish must be turned in to the chapter and no longer banked at the school for future wishes or fundraising efforts. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-South is under obligation to adhere to the donor’s intent in this regard.

2.) Starting this year, if a school reaches $10,000 or more, the school will still be assigned 2 waiting wish children-one whose wish the students can fully participate in and grant on site with the other being a non-participation experience with an assignment of a more medically fragile child, a child requiring no publicity or a rush wish situation. This will actually provide a more accurate and true representation of the children served by Make-A-Wish to your students and even further enhance the many lessons associated with this program.

3.) For those schools exceeding $5,000, but not quite reaching $10,000 or those exceeding $10,000, there are new sponsorship levels available which will allow you to not only grant a wish, but help the wish children in other creative ways. Listed below are the new sponsorship levels.

2007-2008 DONOR GIVING LEVELS
PASSPORT SPONSOR $500
This contribution can ensure that 5 wish children receive passports to travel out of the country. This is an expense that the Foundation picks up for the family. With more countries now requiring them, sponsors at this level truly help alleviate this cost and provide a needed service for the children. Sponsors will receive a standard acknowledgement letter with relevant sponsorship language and picture insert.
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT SPONSOR $1,000
This contribution provides a week’s worth of needed medical equipment for a wish child. From wheelchair rentals to handicap accessible vans to dialysis treatments to oxygen needs, these donors provide the ability for children to travel and have their wishes fulfilled while meeting their medical needs. Sponsors will receive a standard acknowledgement letter with relevant sponsorship language and picture insert.
WISH PARTNER $2,500
These funds are pooled with the contributions received from other Wish Partners to help make wishes come true. Sponsors receive a thank you letter containing a wish story and the wish child’s picture in a paper frame.
WISH SPONSOR $5,000
A gift at this level helps to fulfill the wish of a specific child at your particular location. Sponsors will receive participation in a wish granting experience, a thank you letter containing a wish story and the wish child’s picture in a Make-A-Wish Frame.
LIMOUSINE SPONSOR $7,500
As a result of this gift, 10 wish children will receive a days’ use of a limousine when they wish for a V.I.P. shopping experience. Sponsors receive a thank you letter with relevant text and a frame with multiple pictures of wish children enjoying their limo rides.
US TRAVEL SPONSOR $10,000
This contribution can underwrite the flights to send 20 wish children to their destination of choice within the continental United States. Donors receive a thank you letter with relevant text and a frame with multiple pictures of wish children enjoying their flying experiences.
GLOBAL TRAVEL SPONSOR $20,000
This contribution can underwrite the flights to send 15 wish children to their International destination of choice. Donors receive a thank you letter with relevant text and a frame with multiple pictures of wish children enjoying their flying experiences.

3.) Before a school (even those who have already granted wishes in the past) is assigned a child this year, a representative from that school must attend a wish granting training session. Sessions are being offered 2 times in 2008-all on Tuesday afternoons at 4:00 p.m. at the Make-A-Wish chapter office. All will last no more than one hour. New policies,wish granting ideas and resources will be shared. No referrals will be made without the balance in house and attendance at a wish granting training session. We appreciate your understanding.

The dates are:
3. January 15th (Tuesday) 4:00-5:00 p.m.
4. February 19th (Tuesday) 4:00-5:00 p.m.

That's all for the new policies this year! Let us know how our staff can be of assistance to you.

Rebekah's Big Adventure

Three year old Rebekah is an adorable little girl with bright eyes and a wonderful smile, who loves to cook, watch the adventures of Dora the Explorer, play outside and get “big presents.” These are all simple and seemingly normal diversions from her current battle against leukemia, which has caused her to spend many days in the hospital and many more inside her home. Knowing her great love of playing outdoors, it came as no surprise that her number one wish reqeust was a tree house playground. The only challenge was a lack of trees in her yard, but with Make-A-Wish anything can be possible.

On May 3rd, Rebekah was invited to be a star in her own Dora the Explorer adventure at St. George’s Independent School! Charged with helping a baby jaguar find his mother, she went from one adventure to the next. From matching pairs of goats on the grassy mountain to crossing a bridge barred by trolls to enjoying a tea party in the company of Boots, Rebekah had a ball! Needless to say, the swishy grass path was one of the most creative ways to involve students! The kids dressed in green and lined the pathway literally swishing and swaying as she walked past. It was such a fun day for a little girl in desperate need of some special attention and a break from her medical routine. To see Rebekah stand up and applaud the enlarged photo of her soon to be tree house playground was a priceless moment indeed. Her mom and grandmother could only watch her delight and cry tears of joy. Thanks to their support, she will have an escape in her backyard where she can release pent up energy, imagine and play just like all the other children. Not only did she get her wish, but kitchen toys, play food and so much more to help keep her entertained through the long doctor visits and hospital stays!

A Party fit for a Princess

As students at Fayette Academy personally experienced, Evelyn or “Evie” as she is called is an adorable 4-year old little girl with bright eyes and a sweet smile who like all little girls her age loves the color pink, dolls, playing pretend, dressing up and riding her tricycle. These simple and seemingly normal activities have become therapeutic for her as she battles leukemia, which has caused her to spend many days in the hospital and many more inside her home. When Make-A-Wish volunteers visited this courageous child, there was no doubt about her number one wish request. Evie was very specific with her desire to have a “doll house with princesses”. This was no ordinary doll house mind you. Her dream doll house was to be “painted purple with a white roof and have princess horses and cows as well”. Talk about a woman who knows what she wants. It was obvious she has been thinking about this for some time.

On April 27th, Evie was thoroughly surprised by a Princess tea party that awaited her arrival at the school followed by the presentation of her doll house! Just as she had hoped, it had a barn, animals, furniture and so much more! From working lights to countless accessories, it was just what she had wished for! Between the fulfillment of her wish and the chance to be in the company of fellow Princesses, it marked a day she will not forget. Talk about feeling every bit a star! Now, every time she puts on her new white dress or has fun playing with her new doll house, she will remember the fun associated with the receipt of these treasures. Her new little home away from home will become a place where she can escape into her imagination and spend countless hours at play. Her illness may have robbed her of some childhood innocence, but the students at Fayette Academy managed to give much of it back.

D.J.'s Big Day!

D.J. is an adorable 7-year old little boy who stole hearts from those he met. Like most guys his age, he enjoys watching Sponge Bob, eating at Perkins, watching his fish and playing games with his brothers. These may seem like typical childhood activities, but for D.J. they take on special significance since they serve as not only a needed distraction from the leukemia that he currently battles, but are sometimes the best medicine of all to help him cope.

When Make-A-Wish volunteers visited D.J., it came as no surprise that he wished to escape to Disney World having always wanted to visit this magical place. The volunteers assured him that they would do everything possible to make his wish come true and that is where the students of Bornblum Solomon Schecter School came in.

Presenting a warm welcome as he rolled up the drive in an open air stretch limousine, the students had a direct hand in making D.J. feel every bit the V.I.P. he is by giving him with the gift of a day never to be forgotten. He thoroughly loved the entertainment, presents, personalized song by Robbo and of course, the big announcement that he was going to Disney World! Believe me when I say that no one in his family will ever forget the generosity bestowed on their beloved child that day. The longer he stayed, the more it sank in that he was having her wish granted and that they were actually going to be flying to Disney World.

One very ecstatic family left for this magical vacation on May 28th and had the time of their lives! With no worries, they enjoyed breakfast with all of D.J.’s Disney heroes, spent the entire day riding rides and best of all were together with no doctors or hospitals around! Happy memories were made that will sustain them for whatever the future has in store.

Abby's debut at Houston High

Eight year old Abby from Milan, TN, has star written all over her! She exudes confidence on the stage and in fact wished to be a "star" (but not in her home town). A girl with big dreams, she also aspired to visit the magical world found in Walt Disney World. Invited to attend auditions for Bye Bye Birdie at Houston High School, Abby came prepared, knowing her lines and ready for the dance steps. As the judges conferred, she waited with the other children for the outcome only to learn that she had been chosen for the part. Her elation was evident to all who were present. Just as the Director was giving out the rehearsal schedule, two "Princesses" from Disney bounded onto the stage announcing that the part would have to wait since Abby was going to Disney World!!! Showered with balloons, boas and flowers, one happy little girl signed autographed pictures of herself then left via a limousine for a special lunch held in her honor. Houston High Students were touched by Abby's reaction and experience of granting her fondest wish in a most creative way.

Shelton's wild time at Horn Lake Intermediate School!

To see him, you would never know that 8 year old Shelton was currently experiencing renal failure. With a smile that bright and such a positive outlook, you could not tell that he battles a condition every day that threatens his very life. It was obvious that his family provided an incredible amount of support to him helping him to prepare for an upcoming kidney transplant.

This is a child who adores bugs so much that his nickname is Bugsley. He aspires to be a zoologist someday. In his spare time, Shelton loves watching Night at the Museum, watching the Animal Planet, cheering on the Atlanta Braves and skating around on his Heelys. These have proven themselves to be necessary distractions as he undergoes frequent doctor visits, constant medication and injections and so much more. Imagine his great delight to literally enter a jungle adventure the day he arrived at Horn Lake Intermediate School. From identifying insects to actually getting up close and personal with wild animals, he had a ball. The smile never left his face as he went from one adventure to the next, in fact it only got wider. Of course, the big wish reveal was the moment everyone had been waiting for and his reaction was priceless. Shelton truly was completely surprised to learn he was going to Disney World in just a few days time. According to his mother, they had the most incredible time. With countless special perks and the button to get him to the front of every line, it was just what the doctor ordered to gear him up for his kidney transplant.