Aidan places his action figures inside and on top of his toy vehicles and pulls them behind his wheelchair, leading his merry band of Star Wars and Paw Patrol characters on adventures. He’s fascinated by vehicles both fast and slow. One of his favorite past times is playing farming simulation games where he drives the large tractors and combines out into the fields to harvest the crops and to till the soil.
Aidan used to have a motorcycle that he could ride around on, but his neuromuscular disorder has taken away the use of his legs. He’s also been diagnosed with autism. Aidan is a good-natured boy with a positive outlook on life, but he’s struggled as his condition has worsened.
“I’m fighting two battles,” Aidan said. One against my illness and one against autism.”
He wished for an online shopping spree, so he could get more action figures and more toy vehicles, enabling more fun and imaginary adventures around the house.
“[The wish] gave me something else to focus on. It’s scary with everything happening right now. But I’ve had fun playing with my toys and brother. We loved all the boxes too.” Aidan and his brother used them to build structures for epic Transformer battles.
“One thing I want to say [about the wish]," Aidan said, Is that it’s not just about getting the stuff. It’s about the kindness of everyone."
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What Would Your Wish Be?: To go sky diving!
Favorite Wish Granted: I loved to see Leo’s wish to be a garbageman, even through a pandemic; it was amazing to see our community come together to make Leo’s dream come true
Favorite Wish-Granting Memory: I loved being a part of my first wish! The wish kid was someone I nannied through college. It was amazing years later to be able to come back into their lives and help make some magic!
Inspiration to Volunteer: I have always loved the mission of Make-A-Wish. I had a family friend growing up who was a wish kid. After seeing the impact the wish had on his final stages of life, it has always been something that I knew I wanted to be a part of.
Final Thought: "Being a wish granter is such a fun and impactful way to volunteer! I recommend anyone who is interested to reach out. It is a very flexible and creative volunteer position."
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Make-A-Wish® Idaho is pleased to welcome Brad Christensen as the Chairman of the Board of Directors. Brad has been a board member of Make-A-Wish Idaho since 2016, where he has served as Vice Chairman and member of the Fund Development Committee. He became involved when his cousin and her family went on a wish trip after she had been diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer. Seeing their family have that bonding experience was a like ray of sunshine in the middle of a dark storm of doctor appointments, medications, and hospital stays. His favorite part of being involved with Make-A-Wish is seeing the parents express their appreciation for the moments of serenity that having a wish provides. He says, "I've given time, effort, and money to other causes, but none of them has ever been nearly as rewarding as this one. It's the child's wish, but the whole family benefits. It is a beautiful experience."
Brad and his wife, Nicole, have four children and live in Boise where he works as an Investment Advisor. He has been involved in politics, previously serving as Executive Assistant to former Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne, as well as on the City Council in Ammon, Idaho. When he's not working or volunteering, he enjoys reading, writing, outdoor recreation, and especially international travel. He lived in the Basque country in Spain for two years and speaks Spanish fluently. He graduated from Boise State University where he played lacrosse and participated in student leadership. Please join our chapter in welcoming Brad to this new role!
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Make-A-Wish Idaho would like to thank our outgoing Chairman of the Board, Alec Sarrazolla. Alec joined the Board in 2015. He quickly became involved as an active fundraiser, a wish granter and as a member of the Finance and Fund Development Committee of the chapter. He first became involved when two friends invited him to join the Board. He attended Serving Up Wishes for the first time, and from that night on, he made it his mission to tell the story of Make-A-Wish and to help Idaho kids receive their one true wish while they battle their critical illness. Alec has been a treasure to the chapter and we wish him the very best in his next volunteer roles! |
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Make-A-Wish Idaho announces the return of Macy’s beloved Believe letter-writing campaign which gives believers of all ages the opportunity to send letters and deliver wishes. From Monday, Oct. 26 through Dec. 24, for every letter sent to Santa online at https://mcys.co/32nuL90 or dropped off in Macy’s stores, Macy’s will donate $1 to Make-A-Wish, up to one million dollars, to help children fighting critical illnesses.
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JOIN US FOR FAMILIES FOR WISHES
Families For Wishes is a holiday campaign that celebrates the wish families currently waiting for their wish to be granted. Families all over Idaho invited to join the campaign to bring joy back into a family’s life and raise funds for Make-A-Wish Idaho Dec 1-31. As a participating family – the family you’re born into or the family you choose – you share within your network why you are supporting Make-A-Wish Idaho and ask for donations so more families can experience the lifechanging power of a wish.
There is no fundraising minimum that families must reach during the campaign. Please know Make-A-Wish Idaho is incredibly grateful for your support of wish kids and their families regardless of the amount you raise. Every dollar matters.
CLICK HERE to register. When you register to join the campaign, you receive a personal fundraising page. Your personal fundraising page is a web page that your contacts visit to read your story and donate. The page is mobile-friendly and very easy to use.
Help us raise money this holiday season to grant more wishes in 2021!
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18th Annual GREAT POLAR BEAR CHALLENGE
Make-A-Wish Idaho will hold its annual Great Polar Bear Challenge fundraiser on January 1, 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event will be held virtually with a few in-person elements. Anyone who wishes to participate in the virtual event is invited to join Make-A-Wish Idaho’s festivities on social media, but the top ten fundraisers will be eligible to go out to Lucky Peak Reservoir and plunge into the chilly water with a guest of their choosing. These indomitable divers will also receive a 2021 Limited Edition Polar Bear Robe.
Make-A-Wish Idaho is offering other participation options as well. Those who wish to show off their hardiness at home, can opt to video themselves having a bucket of ice water dumped over their heads and challenging others to do the same, or, instead/also, they can choose to make a snow angel in their bathing suit while issuing a challenge to others to perform the feat themselves. Tag Make-A-Wish Idaho on Facebook, Instagram (@maw_idaho) or Twitter (@makeawish_Idaho) while using the hashtag #PolarBearChallenge and those participants could win a $250 Amazon gift certificate.
Make-A-Wish Idaho also offers a warmer way to participate with a contest for capturing the best “Polar Bear Moment,” by submitting a photo or video with that theme on social media. The winner of the contest will win a $250 Amazon gift card.
For companies that wish to participate, Make-A-Wish Idaho is also holding a Corporate Polar Bear Challenge. Business leaders are asked to make a donation to the Corporate Polar Bear Champions Page at http://site.wish.org/polarbear2021 and then post a photo or video with a “polar theme” on Linkedin (tagging MAWI) and encouraging other corporate leaders or businesses to take the #PolarBearChallenge also.
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Your IRA is a tool that helps you save for your retirement years. And when retirement comes, your IRA also provides a smart way to support the organizations you care about most. Though the ways you can give using your IRA have changed slightly due to the SECURE and CARES acts, your IRA is still a valid way to make a difference at Make-A-Wish Idaho today.
How It Works
If you are 70½ or older, you can transfer any amount up to $100,000 per year directly from your IRA to a qualified charitable organization such as Make-A-Wish Idaho. These funds will immediately be put to work, transforming lives and providing hope.
The Benefits
Along with making an immediate impact at Make-A-Wish Idaho, your IRA charitable rollover gift (also often referred to as a qualified charitable distribution or QCD) benefits you as well.
- You pay no income taxes on the gift. The transfer doesn’t generate taxable income or a tax deduction, so you benefit even if you don’t itemize your tax deductions.
- If you are at least 72 years old and you haven’t yet met your required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year, your IRA gift can satisfy all or part of that requirement. (Note: The RMD has been waived for 2020.)
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Making a gift through your IRA may decrease the amount of Social Security that is subject to tax and lower your Medicare premiums.
Important: Your gift needs to pass directly from your IRA to Make-A-Wish Idaho. If you withdraw the amount first, your gift will count as income and be taxable.
Not Yet 70½?
You can still use your IRA to support Make-A-Wish Idaho by naming us as a beneficiary of your account. You don’t part with assets today, but you do ensure your support for our work continues into the future.
Make a Difference Today
You can make a bigger impact than you ever imagined – while receiving benefits in return. Contact us to learn more about using your IRA to make a gift to Make-A-Wish Idaho.
The Stelter Company
Information contained herein was accurate at the time of printing. The information in this publication is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results.
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