Big Summer To Be Capped By Walk For Wishes |
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WOW, WE ARE A LITTLE MORE THAN A WEEK AWAY from our Make-A-Wish Northeast New York Walk For Wishes!!! We are so excited to see everyone, celebrate the power of a wish, create hope for wish kids and families and raise the funds vital for life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.
THERE IS STILL TIME TO GET INVOLVED!!!!!
Saturday Aug. 14
Make-A-Wish Northeast New York
Walk For Wishes
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ...
WHERE: Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, Troy
WHEN: Saturday, Aug. 14
TIME: On-site registration begins at 8 a.m.; Opening Ceremony at 9:45 a.m.; Walk begins at 10 a.m.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED: Register ahead of time to walk, volunteer or donate at wishwalkneny.org.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Out of an abundance of caution, and in deference to the at-risk community of wish kids we serve, attendees will be asked to wear masks on the stadium concourse and during the Opening Ceremony.
THERE IS SWAG! Raise as little as $100 and you will earn yourself a coveted Walk For Wishes T-Shirt! We have additional great Make-A-Wish goodies available depending on how much you raise!
This is your chance to create hope for wish kids and families just when they need it most.
This is a great opportunity to bond with co-workers, friends and family.
This is your time to make a difference.
We hope to see you next week at The Joe.
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Maria Wishes to Give Back |
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Rather than wish for something for herself, a Make-A-Wish Northeast New York wish teen from Hamilton County wished to help others with epilepsy secure life-changing medication.
Maria, 17, of Inlet, announced her wish last Thursday at a news conference outside the offices of Make-A-Wish Northeast New York and the Epilepsy Foundation of Northeastern New York, which coincidentally share a building in Albany.
There are five categories of Make-A-Wish wishes. “I wish to have,” “I wish to go,” “I wish to meet” and “I wish to be” are the most common. The fifth, “I wish to give back” – the kind of wish Maria chose – is the rarest.
Maria’s wish starts a dedicated $10,000 fund to be administered by the Epilepsy Foundation of Northeastern New York that will help families in the 22 counties it serves obtain vital medications.
“I could never imagine what it would be like if I couldn't afford the costs of seizure medication,” Lutz wrote in a first-person account of her wish, which can be found at mariaepilepsyfund.org. “I wanted to use this opportunity to make a change and help people just like me."
“At Make-A-Wish, we often talk about the power of a wish — and no wish is more powerful than one that gives back in the service of others,” said William C. Trigg, III, CEO of Make-A-Wish Northeast New York. “Wishes bring hope and strength to wish kids. In this case, we are humbled by the strength of Maria, and the hope she is bringing to others.”
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Supporters Take to the Course, Park, Road and Skies |
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After a year that saw almost all in-person events that benefit the chapter wiped out because of the pandemic, this summer has witnessed a return of activities designed to raise critical funds and awareness - and offer a whole lot of fun in the process.
From the wildly successful fourth annual Wish Fest to equally fruitful 14th annual Wack's Ride and 10th annual Wish Jump, outside organizers offered a variety of outings for music lovers and thrill seekers alike.
And don't forget about the golf. The Naked Turtle and Kingsway golf tournaments teed off again, with the Play It Foreward, Coldwell Banker Prime Properties and Tech Valley tourneys to come.
We are forever grateful to the members of the community who step forward to organize these events to benefit the chapter, selflessly devoting their time to benefit wish kids and their families. Thank you, all.
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Treehouse? Try Jaxon's Mansion |
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For his Make-A-Wish Northeast New York wish, Jaxon was looking for a place to hang out.
“I always wanted a treehouse,” he said.
What he got is more like a mansion: A massive backyard treehouse with a wraparound porch, carpeting, furnishings, a loft and all the attached playground features you could conjure.
“It’s beyond our wildest imagination,” wish mom Ashley said.
The treehouse officially opened the day before Jaxon’s 8th birthday. Unlike many wish reveals, this was no surprise: How do you hide something like this in a backyard? Jaxon beamed all day as he was surrounded by family, friends and supporters, who included co-sponsors BBL Construction Services, Curtis Lumber and Delaware Engineering D.P.C.
“The smile on Jaxon’s face says it all,” said John K. Brust, principal of Delaware Engineering, D.P.C. “It makes it worth it.”
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We honored award winners for 2020 and 2021, those who passed service milestones, and all those who give of their time to help create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Special thanks to Madison VanDenburg, who headlined Wish Fest, for coming out to play for us!
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FIRST COMES A REFERRAL: Make-A-Wish Northeast New York wish kid Eddie enjoys his wish: A brand new hot tub! Eddie's wish did not begin with his joyous wish reveal day, but with a referral.
Do you know of a child like Eddie who may be eligible for a wish? To learn more or make a referral, visit wish.org/refer-a-child, or contact Manager of Medical Referral Outreach Abby Connor at 518-456-9474 or aconnor@neny.wish.org.
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BILLY'S WILD WISH! Make-A-Wish Northeast New York wish kid Billy recently enjoyed his wish, a pair of animal experiences in the Syracuse area! Special thanks Rosamond Gifford Zoo, The Wild Animal Park, Dinosaur BBQ and our friends at Make-A-Wish Central New York for making Billy’s wish came true!
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Yes, Hope is Essential ...
But So is Perseverance
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Although the COVID-19 pandemic continues to loom large over the nation, hope continues to shine brightly for Make-A-Wish Northeast New York as we focus on granting inspiring wishes for local children with critical illnesses.
In July, for example, we granted an impressive treehouse wish for 8-year-old Jaxon from Schenectady, made possible by the generosity of three local companies that designed, supplied the lumber for and built an impressive edifice for Jaxon. Delaware Engineering, Curtis Lumber and BBL Construction Services all came together to provide Jaxon a truly magical getaway for him and his friends up in the trees.
Days later, we celebrated the joy of 17-year-old Maria’s wish to give back by establishing a fund within the Epilepsy Foundation of Northeastern New York (our next door neighbor, by the way) to provide financial support to those with epilepsy who cannot afford their medications. Maria is the fifth wish recipient from our chapter over the course of the past 34 years (and 1,970 wishes) who has made her wish help others through selfless compassion and generosity of spirit! Maria is a truly remarkable young woman.
In addition to our wish granters and program team working successfully to make more magical wishes like Jaxon’s and Maria’s come true, our fundraising team has been hard at work making final preparations for our 8th annual Walk for Wishes on Aug. 14 at Joe Bruno Stadium on the HVCC campus in Troy. We have also been blessed to have several significant fundraisers this summer take place in between all of the rain and bad weather, raising nearly $200,000 since early June to support our wish granting program.
One of them was our 10th annual Wish Jump skydiving fundraiser -- the only fundraiser of its kind in the Make-A-Wish universe, I joined 16 other jumpers in raising more than $41,000, marking my 10th annual jump in honor of one of my wish kids. What a thrill!
Yes, hope does indeed continue to shine brightly for our wish kids and their families. We remain ever grateful to all of our donors for their generosity and partnership to ensure every eligible child sees their wish come true.
With immense gratitude,
Bill Trigg
CEO, Make-A-Wish Northeast New York
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Make-A-Wish Northeast New York
3 Washington Square
Albany, NY 12205
(518) 456-9474
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