Three-year-old Leo likes to have early morning picnics on his lawn while he waits for the garbageman, Curtis, (yes, they are on a first-name basis) to come to his house and haul the garbage away.
Leo has always been fascinated by garbage trucks and recycling. At three, he already knows which items can be recycled and which items can’t. He sorts the household garbage and takes it to the street every week. He knows how garbage trucks are routed. He’s knowledgeable of the different categories of garbage trucks and how each type of garbage truck lifts and dumps its garbage. He loves everything about waste disposal.
When Leo was two years old, he began having dizzy spells, and his parents started to worry. Their worst fears came true when Leo was diagnosed with cancer. Leo went through five rounds of chemotherapy and three transplant rounds, and after his treatment, Leo’s MRI came back clean, and it’s been clean for the last three months. Still, the next year will be crucial for Leo’s recovery. If the cancer doesn’t return, he’ll probably go on to live a healthy, normal life, and he seems strong and hardy now. But it was during the darkest time of fear, isolation and despair that Leo and his family were put in contact with Make-A-Wish® Idaho.
Leo's wish was granted.
Unlike some, his wish came easy. He wished to be a garbage man for a day. It’s a wish that had never been granted in Idaho before. Regional Director of Make-A-Wish Idaho, Julie Thomas, reached out to Republic Services, one of the largest waste disposal and recycling companies in the United States and asked if they could make this boy’s wish come true. Republic Services was excited to help.
Republic Services knew they needed to find a very special driver to teach Leo the time-honored traditions of the garbageman, so they asked Garry Packwood, a grandfather known for being good with children and a driver of 25 years, to be Leo’s mentor.
When the City of Boise heard that a very special three-year-old would be a garbageman for the day, they asked for his help. They wanted him to service city hall. The director of public works, the city environmental managers and the mayor cheered Leo on while he emptied the Dumpsters behind city hall. In a one-on-one conversation, Leo even impressed the mayor with his extensive knowledge of waste disposal!
Now that the garbage was collected, it was time to head out to the Ada County Landfill to dispose of it. Garry showed Leo how to dump the garbage from the truck, and Leo’s face lit up behind his little, blue mask. The men and women who worked at the landfill were weighed down with bags full of toys: scale-model trucks, Caterpillars, bulldozers. They set them at Leo’s feet, thanking the small boy for helping with such a big job. Leo then assisted in the operation an excavator and the largest dump truck he had ever seen.
Asked what his favorite part of the wish was, Leo simply said “The dumping.”
After the landfill, Leo traveled to Garden City. At the city hall there, Leo was gifted with a book from the Garden City Library and was made an honorary police officer by the Garden City Police Department. Leo diligently emptied the building’s Dumpsters.
His fellow police officers escorted Leo to his next destination, a residential street where the citizens cheered on Leo as he operated the truck’s side loader to hoist their garbage into the bin, just like Curtis and Garry. When Leo imagined being a garbage man, he always imagined kids like himself cheering as he hauled their garbage away. Now, folks of all ages were standing in their yards and driveways, cheering for Leo as he collected their recycling.
Leo then took their bottles, cans and paper products to Western Recycling where garbage came to be sorted and born anew. All the employees there waved and cheered as Leo dumped out the truck. The facility manager gave Leo and his family a brief tour.
By this time of the day, little Leo was getting tired, and although there was more fun lined up, Leo was ready to take a nap, but there was one more surprise that he needed to stay awake for. The garbage truck roared across the city as it made its way to its destination—IHOP where take-out waffles awaited the dedicated and weary garbageman-in-training at the end of his first day on the job.
The employees from the Albertson’s came outside to hold signs and cheer as Leo pulled into the IHOP parking lot. The IHOP staff held signs, too, and gave Leo more presents and, of course, they had his take-home waffles piping hot and ready for him. So the next time he ate his breakfast picnic while waiting for Curtis, he would remember the day that he was a garbage man!
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Earlier this year, Make-A-Wish Idaho granted Jessica's wish for an online shopping spree. It was a happy wish. Jessica had recovered from cancer and was looking forward to the next stage of her life. Make-A-Wish Idaho asked her to share her story during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
Jessica's Story by Jessica
"Before my illness, my life was perfect. I didn't have anything to worry about besides my daily life and my high school classes. I went to football games, participated in two varsity choirs and never felt like I had to make sure I wasn't overworking myself with activities. It was a life any kid would dream of.
"When I first felt something concerning, I didn't really know what to think - I was just hoping for the best outcome, which was obviously to be fine, but I knew I wasn't. I was freaking out on the inside because as a fifteen-year-old girl, you can't ever imagine yourself having cancer.
"My life changed very quickly and very drastically, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and after nine hours of surgeries, I had these fresh, new scars all over my neck that I quickly became insecure about. I could barely finish my sophomore year which was really important to me and bummed me out that I had to miss basketball games, choir concerts and friend get-togethers. Unfortunately, the emotional toll of having cancer didn't hit me until the fall of 2019, and I struggled with alot of mental trauma and depression. Getting through that was rough, but once I wrapped my head around it, I was able to move on from that piece of my life.
"Something that really helped me was having a supportive friend group; they would come to my house and watch TV and bring me gifts. It really gave me a sense of hope that I would have the people who I loved the most by my side, especially my sister. She's been my best friend ever since we both matured out of the stage where sisters don't like each other. She would send me messages and packages and always made sure I knew my worth.
"If I'm going to be real, raw and honest, I didn't have the mindset that I should have had at first. I just wanted the pain to go away and I just wanted to be done with my surgeries. I didn't realize I was going to get better until I was all done with my surgeries. I thought, “That's it? I think I’m going to be okay” and kind of sat in my room and processed it. I didn’t have the reaction I felt like a lot of other people have because I already knew I was going to be okay, for the most part. I always had hope through the suffering.
[My advice to those struggling with something similar] is to always communicate with a friend or family with how you’re feeling. Going through something like this can be extremely mentally taxing on someone around my age or younger. It’s never a bad thing to reach out for help. Have faith and hope in your doctors. Also another good tip is to watch as many Disney movies as possible and eat as many donuts as you want, too. Your body and mind have been and will be going through a lot, so treat yourself."
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Edie started granting wishes years ago when she lived in Alaska. She transferred as a wish granter to our Idaho Chapter when she moved here in 2010 and has been helping us grant wishes in her community ever since. Edie is a go-to-gal and always willing to lend a hand to help children and anyone in her community.
"I lived in a little town with 750 people year-round, twelve miles from Denali National Park. We had a child there who was ill. And there weren't any volunteers in our area. Then, as it happened, there were two of us who could train to become volunteers in the town of Healy, Alaska. So we did. I can’t remember the exact first wish, but I went into Fairbanks to train. I was on the school board and volunteered on eleven committees. I was always involved with kids. I was a general manager at a hotel. I was friends with the superintendent of the school, so I would hear about community needs. There was a need, we thought, for a volunteer. I was trained and there were two of us. Then I began to talk others into becoming volunteers.
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"[My first wish in Idaho] was a little boy who wished to go to Disney World. He had the biggest, brownest eyes I’d ever seen. He was adorable, and he loved four-wheelers, too, which we had in common. He bought me presents from Disney World. He bought me a whale necklace and whale earrings. He loved whales. He was a sweetheart, that little boy with the biggest, brownest eyes. When I saw him at the park a year later, he recognized me.
"Children are our future. We need to do everything we can to make their lives successful. As far as I’m concerned that’s the only way to look at it. They are the most important people on earth. I teach the nursery at our church. I love it. I put together all the totes for all the toys, teaching special stories. I love it."
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Hello! My name is Neil Gulley, and my wife, Donna, and I reside in Coeur d’Alene with our two teenage children, Neil and Angelina. We also have a teenager, also named Angelina, who lives with us and has become family. We have had a home in CDA for about five years with our primary residence being Parker, Colorado. In June of this year, we decided we wanted to be full-time Idaho residents and are buying a house in the Boise area. I work for Realogy Corporation and oversee the West and Midwest Regions for Realogy Title Group. One of our companies is Idaho’s very own, TitleOne!
I am proud to serve on the board of directors for Make-A-Wish Idaho. Three years ago, at a TitleOne charity golf tournament, I heard about Make-A-Wish Idaho’s mission and instantly knew I wanted to be involved. What drew me in was not only the wish-fulfillment aspect of the organization but how the whole process positively impacts critically ill children before, during and after the wish is granted. I continue to look forward to raising both awareness and funds for Make-A-Wish Idaho so that every child in need is able to receive her or his wish.
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The 18th Annual Serving Up Wishes, October 6, 2020, is a fundraiser that celebrates wishes that have already been granted, while raising funds for future wishes. This year, because of COVID-19, we are making the event virtual.
For over 40 years, Make-A-Wish has been working with our community to transform the lives of children battling critical illnesses through the power of a wish come true. During this year’s event, we will share some powerful stories and delight you with a few fun surprises. While we will miss seeing you in person, we want to ensure everyone can experience the gala program and participate in the various fundraising elements safely and from the comfort of their homes.
How You Can Help:
Watch: Tune into Make-A-Wish Idaho’s Facebook page at 7 p.m. on October 6, where Mark Johnson and Larry Flynn will be hosting the program live! You can also host a Watch Party in your home to celebrate with your friends.
Bid: The Serving Up Wishes Auction will have some one-of-kind items that you don’t want to miss. You can bid at https://makeawish.afrogs.org/. Items will be updated as we get closer to the event, but you can start bidding on September 28. The best thing to do is to watch the program on one device then use another device like an iPad or phone to bid.
Advocate: Typically, this event sells out, so we are thrilled to share this with a wider audience! Make-A-Wish Idaho serves wish kids all around the state so please take a moment and share this event and auction with your friends and family wherever they may be and let’s make this the best Serving Up Wishes ever!!!
Today, it’s more important than ever that we keep giving kids the hope and healing they need. Your commitment to wish children and families is crucial to ensure we can grant these wishes and many more as soon as it's safe.
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The 5th Annual Walk for Wishes Magic Valley event will be held Saturday, September 26 at 10 a.m. Due to COVID-19, the event will take place virtually with each participant walking separately in their own neighborhood, on a nature trail, on a treadmill at home or wherever they might choose. Participants will be asked to post themselves walking on social media and to tag Make-A-Wish Idaho in order to help raise awareness for wish kids who have had their wishes postponed.
This year’s Walk for Wishes Magic Valley will support wishes like thirteen-year-old Shawn’s. His favorite activity is riding in a bicycle trailer, but due to his neuromuscular disorder, he often experiences pain and discomfort getting in and out of traditional bicycle trailers. Shawn wished for a custom-made pedicab, so he can continue to enjoy his bike rides in comfort and safety.
You can sign up today as a sponsor, walk team or volunteer. There is no registration fee; though Make-A-Wish Idaho asks participants to raise $100 or more to help grant wishes to more Idaho wish kids. Participants are asked to tag Make-A-Wish Idaho during their walks (on Facebook, Twitter: @MakeAWish_Idaho or Instagram: @maw_idaho), using the hashtag #walkforwishesmagicvalley
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Have you ever wondered about becoming more involved with Make-A-Wish Idaho? If you love children, enjoy being creative and have great attention to detail, consider becoming a wish pal.
Wish pals are volunteer wish granters who help wish kids look forward to positive things during difficult times - something that couldn't be more relevant now. Current wish granters may also sign up to serve as wish pals with no additional training
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Blended Giving: The Best of Both Worlds
You can make a difference at Make-A-Wish Idaho both today and tomorrow. How? By combining a current gift with one for the future. This type of giving, called blended giving, allows you to make an even bigger impact than you thought possible. Making a blended gift is easier than you think. Simply choose a gift that works for you today and pair it with one for the future.
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Why Blended Giving?
When you combine a gift today with a gift for the future, you:
· Help Make-A-Wish Idaho plan for the future with confidence, while meeting our needs today.
· Ensure we can continue granting wishes, while providing hope to children today.
· Inspire others to give, while creating a legacy at Make-A-Wish Idaho.
Plan Your Giving Strategy
Finding the best combination of gifts to meet your charitable and financial goals can be challenging. We are happy to work with you and your financial advisor or estate planning attorney to help you find the best giving options to meet your needs.
Do More Through Blended Giving
See the impact you can make at Make-A-Wish Idaho both today and in the future. Contact Janie Best at 208.297.6822 or JBest@idaho.wish.org to learn more, or for help getting started finding the right gift for you.
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