 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
It all started with one wish…
In 1980, 7 year-old Chris Greicius had one wish- to be a police officer. Chris, who was battling leukemia, was sworn in as the first and only honorary officer in Arizona history. He was presented with an official badge and given a helicopter tour of Phoenix by his fellow officers. But it wasn’t just that he got to be a police officer, Chris’ wish gave him back what his illness had taken away: Hope. Strength. Joy.
A little boy leaves a huge legacy…
Chris never fathomed that his dream would serve as the inspiration for the largest wish-granting organization in the world. Now, The Make-A-Wish Foundation continues to improve the quality of life for thousands of children with life-threatening illnesses around the world each year.
You can help make wishes come true…
There are many children in your community living with life-threatening illnesses-children who have a wish. The Make-A-Wish Foundation needs your help to reach them. There are many ways to get involved. Kids For Wish Kids is a wonderful opportunity to help ensure that these children can be granted their one favorite wish.
Origami Project helps sick kids Denville students get into the fold to help the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Denville Valleyview Middle School sixth-grade Social Studies classes, recently raised $685 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation by folding Japanese origami cranes. Inspired by the story of Sadako Sasaki, a Japanese girl who died from leukemia she contracted as a result of radiation from the World War II bombing of Hiroshima, the students decided to perform this fundraising event in her memory, and in memory of all the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Sadako Sasaki had been acting on the Japanese story of the 1,000 cranes, which states that if a person folds 1,000 origami cranes, that person can receive their lifetime wish. When Sasaki became ill with leukemia, she began to fold the cranes in order to get better, but as she became more ill, she changed her wish to world peace and an end to suffering. She died before completing the 1,000 cranes, but her friends and classmates completed them for her. Assisted by teachers, Jim Ozello, Jennifer Faliveno, John Foscolo and Mark Hoffman, the sixth-graders raised money for Make-A-Wish Foundation. They folded plain-colored origami cranes for $1 donations, and fancy-design paper cranes for $5 donations. Used to decorate the Social Studies classrooms, the cranes provided a visual means for tracking the progress of the fundraising. During the months of February through May, contributions were collected from students, faculty, staff and parents at the beginning of class and during lunch periods. |
That is what Bret Kaye, 19, of Warren Township realized when he started out on a mission to raise funds for Make-A-Wish Foundation® of New Jersey. In 2005, Bret conducted a project selling bricks to local businesses and families which resulted in over $14,000 being raised to grant the wishes of two New Jersey children living with a life-threatening medical condition. “This fundraiser was a vision I had two years ago after being inspired by the work my dad has done for the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of New Jersey,” said Kaye, who raised the money during his senior year at Watchung Hills Regional High School. The completed bricks were unveiled in 2006 at the Somerset Hills School in Warren and serve as a permanent reminder of the power of a wish. Read the Full Article
In early 2004, Becky Sansone, (then a junior at Voorhees High School in Glen Gardner), experienced first-hand the power of a wish after selling bricks to construct a walkway at her school while raising funds for Make-A-Wish Foundation® of New Jersey. In 2006, her sister Kaity, revived the project, selling even more bricks, completing the walkway and continuing a family tradition of granting wishes to children in the Garden State. Read the Full Article
|
|
|
||
|
||||
|
||||
-The Kids For Wish Kids program helps to increase awareness of the Make A Wish Foundation’s mission and involves more people in helping to grant wishes.
-The Kids For Wish Kids fosters the value of community service by providing kids with hands- on experience in helping to grant wishes through their local chapter. It also provides a mechanism for building school spirit and creating additional partnerships between children and teachers outside of the classroom.
Here are just a few ways that kids can benefit by participating in the program:
It provides them with a positive learning experience
It fosters the value of community service
It teaches them compassion and how they can make a difference in the lives of others
It creates school and neighborhood spirit
It helps them learn to work together for a common goal
It provides interaction among children, teachers and parents
Before you get started on your projects, it is essential to plan out events
and projects with your local
Make-A-Wish chapter first.
Contact: Kim Puleo
kpuleo@wishnj.org or (908) 964- 5055
This outline may help you to organize
your school’s Kids For Wish Kids Program:
Organize in Advance
Recruit a project coordinator and volunteer committee members to plan and implement
each step of the program.
Evaluate Your Resources
Determine how many people you will need for each project, the facilities that
are necessary, and any available resources and promotional opportunities that
may be available to you. Also involve the community, including the parents,
teachers, and of course the students, to determine what types of activities
will most appeal to your school.
Schedule And Location
Select a date, time and place to hold your activity.
Decide when it will start and end. Some activities may last a few hours; others
may be spread out during a week’s time. It is all up to you.
Event Proposal Form
Once you have formed a committee, chosen an event, and decided on the date,
time and place, contact your local Make-A-Wish chapter.
Contact: Kim Puleo
kpuleo@wishnj.org or (908) 964- 5055
Together, you can complete
the Special Events Proposal Form and Licensing Agreement.
For Each Event
Create a checklist or a schedule of what needs to be accomplished during the
day of the event. Make a presentation to your school announcing your support
of The -Make-A-Wish Foundation. Make announcements about the events over the
school’s public address system. Make sure that students are kept up to
date with the amount of money being raised. A good way to do this is to make
announcements and large barometer charts. Always remember to have change on-hand.
Because most activities involve coins or dollar bills.
After Each Event
Plan a recognition assembly for the school. Ask your local Make-A-Wish chapter
representative or volunteer, if they can attend the presentation. Meet with
your committee to discuss the success of the event and brainstorm any opportunities
for future projects.
|
|
|
|
||
|
-Increase awareness of the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Mission
-Empower students to help grant wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses
-Foster the value of community service
-Create school spirit
-Provide partnership opportunities between children, teachers and parents