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Arizona stories of hope, strength and joy.
Miraj, Age 9 Urine Disease I wish to have a red Chevy Camaro
Renovation
through Relationships
2013 Walk for Wishes® presented by AAA raises more than $150,000 toward wishes
With more than 450 children currently awaiting their wish, there is still work to do; but this event is showing that donations of all amounts can come together to make a big difference. Thank you to all our walkers and all our donors who helped make this the best Walk for Wishes in the history of our chapter. We hope that you continue to support Make-A-Wish Arizona with your passion and your dedication to making every eligible child’s wish come true.
“I knew it was going to be the very best day”
For 12-year-old Kaila, the only place she could go for peace and quiet was her bedroom, but it was crowded, cold and covered in stickers—not to Kaila’s taste at all.
Make-A-Wish® Arizona is excited to announce that the 2013 Walk for Wishes® presented by AAA was a huge success, with more than $150,000 raised by more than 1,000 walkers to help grant future wishes. The money raised will help Make-A-Wish Arizona grant an additional 30 wishes this year, including the wish of Darrius, 6, who was told at the Walk for Wishes that his wish to be a police officer will be granted by the Phoenix Police Department. Chief Daniel Garcia and the Phoenix PD will create a special wish event in April for Darrius and his family, including mom Andrea and older brother Jermaine.
Edition 1: Spring 2013
2012 Golf Classic Nov. 19 The time has come for all cool cats to purchase tickets for the 2013 Make-A-Wish® Arizona Rat Pack Wish Ball presented by Go Daddy. This black-tie event is sure to be a hip affair, so make sure to purchase your ticket—or your table—today. Co-chairs Maja Langbein, Jennifer Moser, and Renee Parsons have created a night no one will ever forget, much like the wishes this event will help fund.
When: Saturday, April 27, 2013 Where: Fairmont Scottsdale Princess 7575 E. Princess Drive Scottsdale, AZ 85255 For more information visit www.azwishball.com. Presented by:
Enter Make-A-Wish® Arizona and Southern Arizona wish granters Betty Elasowich and Connie Mitchell. They met with Kaila in Tucson right before she had brain surgery to help with her life-threatening seizures. When she was told she could have her one true wish, Kaila thought about her room and knew what she wanted. “I wanted something that would last for a long time, so I wished for a room re-do,” said Kaila. “I spend a lot of time in my room so I wanted it to be perfect. Before, I didn’t really like hanging out in my room, but now there are a whole bunch of great things – including things I didn’t even think of.” Kaila’s room renovation was the work of many corporate partners and community groups, who came together to create a pink palace exactly to Kaila’s specifications (with help from her roommate, twin sister Lia). Working
– Kaila, 12 with interior designer Carla Bonner of Blueseeds, as well as Carla’s friend Blair Moffett, Kaila’s wish team went above and beyond in securing in-kind donations and support.
of overhead lighting by Steven Pritchard from Alpha One Electric; and wall photos of Kaila and her sister taken by professional photographer Lyn Sims.
“I wanted a loft bed because when we had two beds, they took up the whole bedroom,” said Kaila. So, a loft bed was ordered by volunteer Susan Harris. Sleep America donated two Tempur-Pedic mattresses, a perk Kaila now greatly enjoys.
The room renovation was completed thanks to the corporate partners, and the Chi Omega sorority from University of Arizona, who labored to pull the room together in one weekend!
Other perks include a new hardwood floor from Express Flooring to replace the concrete floor the girls previously had in their room due to Kaila’s allergies to dust. Dunn Edwards found that perfect shade of pink to complement Kaila’s request. “Now there is more room to play games and do karaoke and listen to music” said Kaila. “I gave my wish granters my wish list and they got me everything I asked for and some extras too.” Kaila is also excited to have a desk in her room. So excited, she has promised her mom that she will achieve all “A’s” this semester, something her mom can get excited about as well!
“I couldn’t wait to see my room,” said Kaila. “And when I finally went in, I knew it was going to be the very best day because it looked exactly like what I wished for.”
Other perks included a closet insert donated by Closet Trends; installation
Donate now and Double the magic!
Make-A-Wish® Arizona has more than 450 kids currently waiting for their one true wish. Thanks to a generous challenge grant from Make-A-Wish® America that will run until August 31, 2013, your donation of $1,000 or more can be matched dollar-for-dollar and a donation of $5,000 or more can be matched 2-to-1. That means your $1,000 donation is really $2,000 and your $5,000 donation is really $15,000. Find out more online at www.wishaz.org or call (602) 395-9474 to talk with a member of our development team.
You can help make wishes like Kaila’s come true today through in-kind or online donations. Contact the Wish House at (602) 395-9474 or visit www.wishaz.org today.
Board of Directors Officers Chairman Michael Tully
A Message
Wish List Items
You can help
make wishes come true
from Elizabeth Reich
We always need…
AAA Arizona
Vice Chairman C. Bradley Vynalek Quarles & Brady LLP
Treasurer Ronald Butler Ernst & Young
Secretary Jon Ferlise US Airways
Immediate Past Treasurer Thomas M. Roskos, Jr. Merit Investments, LLC
Members Kathy Bollinger Banner Health
Richard Cassidy RGC Group LLC
John Cummerford Greenberg Traurig
Bruce Guest
Arizona Business Bank
Ronald Guziak
Sun Health Services
Derrick M. Hall
Arizona Diamondbacks
Thomas Hatten
Mountainside Fitness
Stephen A. Lenn, Esq. Sacks Tierney P.A.
Ian Lopatin
Spiritual Gangster
Mike Marmis
YAM Management, LLC
Jennifer Moser
Rose+Moser+Allyn Public & Online Relations
Renee Parsons
The Bob and Renee Parsons Foundation
Gayle Porterfield Cox Communications
Nicole Pryde-Johnson Lovitt & Touche, Inc.
Michael Reagan
This March, Make-A-Wish® Arizona hosted the 2013 Walk for Wishes® presented by AAA, with more than 1,000 attendees raising more than $150,000 in funds to grant wishes. With the money raised at this incredible event, we can grant approximately 30 additional wishes in 2013. That is 30 more children who can visit with their favorite characters at Disneyland® or meet their favorite celebrity at a concert or event. Or like Kaila, wake up to the room of their dreams. That is 30 additional children who can now think about something beyond the doctor’s office or hospital room, and create a wish that will last a lifetime. One of the things I didn’t expect at the Walk for Wishes was the support of wish kids and their families who had been granted their wish long, long ago. Wish kids who now had children of their own, but still were committed to our mission. That shows what we at Make-A-Wish Arizona already suspected: The impact of a child’s wish affects everyone involved for the rest of their lives. I have to thank our corporate and individual donors who were so dedicated to raising funds for our wish kids. Donors such as presenting sponsor AAA, and additional sponsors Charles Schwab, Allegiant Airlines, Isagenix, Kutak Rock Attorneys, Capital Group Companies, Mountainside Fitness and Ernst & Young. Our individual donors were significant as well – we had more than 10 donors who
individually raised $1,000 apiece and one who raised more than $5,000! The truth is that every donation helps Make-A-Wish Arizona create an impact on the life of a child. Make a donation today and you will be a part of a future wish. This month, we are pleased to announce a challenge grant from Make-A-Wish® America that will run until August 31, 2013. That challenge grant encourages significant donations by matching every donation $1,000 or more dollar-to-dollar and every donation of $5,000 or more at 2-to-1. That means every $1,000 donation is $2,000 and every $5,000 is $15,000. We are excited about this challenge grant, and how we can use these funds to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Thank you for living our mission with us!
Elizabeth Reich President and Chief Executive Officer Make-A-Wish® Arizona
Kahala
William Shroyer
Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren
Lori Sundberg
Arizona Public Service Co.
Jameson Van Houten
Stonegate Financial Group, LLC
Dave Woodward Community Leader
Board Members Emeritus Geoffrey Bruce Kathy McMorris Steve Rendell Barry Shannahan
President and CEO Elizabeth R. Reich
Make-A-Wish® Arizona 711 E. Northern Avenue Phoenix, Arizona 85020 (P) 602-395-9474 (F) 602-395-0722
wishaz.org
Airline Miles - Delta Airlines, Continental Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways Airline vouchers (transferable)
Did you know there are more than 14 different ways you can help grant a child’s one true wish? From a simple, one-time online donation to donating your treasures, cars or through your will, you can make an impact on the life of a child with a life-threatening medical condition.
Vehicles Securities and Stocks Silent Auction items - certificates; gift cards
One of those programs has proven to be a success with the younger generation, the Kids For Wish Kids® program. It has been so successful that in 2012, the Glendale Elementary School District utilized the Kids For Wish Kids program to help Make-A-Wish® Arizona raise thousands of dollars in donations with a special letter writing campaign. Organized by wish parent and teacher Lloyd Sirkin, the student letter writing campaign was part of the Macy’s Believe campaign, where each letter submitted to Macy’s during December earns $1 toward a future wish child’s wish.
Those little extras… Gift cards at $10, $15, $25, $50
I’m glad to be able to be a small part in helping another child and family experience a wish,” said Lloyd. Asher lost his fight against Ewing’s Sarcoma in 2005; however, Lloyd honors his son Asher’s memory every holiday season with this annual letter writing campaign. He started first in his classroom, then in his school, and last year, was able to expand to his school district.
Lloyd and his “elves”, which included classes from throughout the Glendale Elementary School District, collected more than 9,000 letters to stuff the red Macy’s mailboxes. Lloyd has a special connection to Make-A-Wish Arizona, as his son Asher was a wish kid. Asher took his family on a Caribbean cruise for his wish and it was something Lloyd will never forget.
Lloyd was able to find the perfect way to give to Make-A-Wish Arizona through the Kids For Wish Kids program. Visit www.wishaz.org/ways-to-help to see the other opportunities available so you, like Lloyd, can help future wish kids enjoy their one true wish.
“For one week, we were just a family on vacation, having fun. [Make-A-Wish Arizona] was a blessing for us and
Volunteer Profile:
“Make-A-Wish® Arizona made such a difference in my son’s, and my family’s life,” said Roxanna, or Roxy to her friends and wish families. “It was just a visit with Will Smith for an afternoon, but his personality changed after his wish. He was always a happy kid, but after his wish, he was more self-assured, never down.”
or $100 for: • iTunes • Department stores • Mall stores • Local restaurants • Chain restaurants
Books at various reading levels New/Unopened DVDs and CDs New luggage New backpacks New tote bags Travel activities (crayons, portable games, coloring books, travel board games) Disposable cameras Travel-size necessities (sunscreen, chapstick, hand sanitizer)
Wish-Related Services Handyman Electrician Electrical/AV Installers Salon Services Videographers
Roxanna Roffey As a wish mom, Roxanna offers a special perspective to the wish kids and wish families she works with in Southern Arizona as a volunteer wish granter. Her son Herschel, who passed away in 2004, was granted his wish to meet Will Smith and it is a memory she will never forget.
Caterer
After losing Herschel, Roxy and her family wanted to find some way to give back to Make-A-Wish Arizona so they raised money and did the Walk for Wishes. Two Walk for Wishes events later, Roxy lost her job in Phoenix and moved back to Wilcox to be near family, but, while job hunting, she reached out to Make-A-Wish Arizona.
“I needed to keep myself busy so I took the wish granter training and started to grant wishes in Sierra Vista, Douglas and Wilcox,” she said. In the past 18 months, she has granted more than seven wishes and, like her personal experience with Herschel, she can see the impact.
Even now, after returning to work full time, Roxy will not be giving up her wish granter ways.
Mechanic
“The way I look at it, Make-A-Wish Arizona made such a difference in my son and my family’s life, I want to do the same for others.”
Construction services
“It gives you a very positive feeling in your soul when you help bring smiles and happiness to a family that is going through so much,” said Roxy. “When you hear about all the exciting things they want to do, and you get to offer them the opportunity to do it, it’s so rewarding.”
Building services/donated building materials
Make-A-Wish® Arizona would like to congratulate Roxy on being recognized as our first Volunteer of the Month. If you are interested in becoming one of our incredible volunteers, visit www.wishaz.org, and look for Volunteer Information under Ways to Help.
Automobile Technician Automotive Restoration Seamstress services Landscaper
Veterinarian