Bill Neessen
Elk of the Year, POY, Public Relations Chairman
Posts: 2619
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Posted on: Oct. 15 2017,9:48 am |
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At the October 11 Lodge meeting with about 90 members in attendance, Stephanie McCormick, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire recognized the Orange Elk’s $5,000 donation to the organization. This generous gift sponsored 11-year-old Mathew’s wish to travel to Hawaii and swim with the dolphins. Mathew, a resident of Orange, suffers from a life-threatening heart condition and the wish experience has helped immensely with his outlook and treatment.
Joining Stephanie was 17-year-old Taylor Scofield and his mom, Barbara. Taylor described how his wish to travel to New York City and celebrate New Year’s Eve in Times Square helped him to deal with his long-term illness that resulted in dialysis treatments over many years. Taylor believes that the wish experience improved his mental outlook and helped prepare him for a successful kidney transplant.
The local Make-A-Wish Chapter was established in 1983 and has granted nearly 6,000 wishes that support the Make-A-Wish mission to “grant the wishes of children with life- threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.” The wish process is quite simple, yet powerful: when a child between the ages of 2 ½ and 18 years is referred, their physician validates that their condition is life-threatening. It is a common misconception that Make-A-Wish deals only with terminally ill kids. Rather, the entire wish granting process is life-affirming, and survey results show that both parents and medical professionals believe that experiencing a wish significantly improves the emotional health of their child and of the entire family.
Wish Granters receive specialized training in interview techniques that allow the child to clearly express their most heartfelt wish. Wishes fall into four major categories: I wish to go (e.g., Walt Disney World, Atlantis Resort); I wish to meet, e.g., Mike Trout, the President of the United States); I wish to have, (e.g., a shopping adventure, a new backyard play set); and I wish to be, (e.g., an Action Hero, a Princess). Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire receives most of its operational funding from individual donors, businesses and community groups like the Elks. 81 cents of every dollar goes directly towards granting wishes. Although the local chapter granted 330 wishes last year, the Center for Disease Control estimates that on an annual basis, over 700 kids in the chapter’s territory meet eligibility criteria.
Make-A-Wish continues to look to the community – both in terms of dollars and volunteer hours – to fulfill its marvelous mission. If you would like to learn more about Make-A-Wish, including how to donate and/or volunteer to support the power of wish, check the chapter website at: ocie.wish.org/
Matt Ferrero is an Orange Elks member and a Make-A-Wish Volunteer submitted this article.
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Taylor, Matt, Barbara and Stephanie
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