SUMMER 2019
I wish to meet a mermaid Maria, 5, Minnesota leukemia
FA L L 2 0 1 9
WishfulThinking • Note from Trini
Aloha Wish Ohana, It’s hard to believe summer is coming to an end already, and what a summer it has been! With your help, we’ve granted hundreds of unique local and visiting wishes across the islands these past few months—wishes to meet mermaids and unicorns, learn how to surf, go to Walt Disney World, and so much more. Our team is full of gratitude for the aloha you have shown to our wish keiki this summer. From the generous new and long-term donors who gave toward the 6th Annual Give Wishes Wings radiothon and telethon, making local wishes come true, to the many community partners who welcomed visiting wish keiki to Hawaii and created unforgettable experiences, we could not be more thankful. In these pages, you’ll read about a few of these partners and the lasting impact their efforts have made in the lives of wish kids and their families. You’ll also read about local wishes brought to life thanks to you—and even a wish granted 20 years ago that is still making a difference. Your gifts of cash, airline miles, time, and aloha truly transform lives all year round. Mahalo for wishing with us! Mahalo and best wishes,
Trini Kaopuiki Clark President and CEO
ON THE COVER Mermaid Sirenity grants 5-year-old Maria’s magical wish to meet a mermaid. Photos: Abe McAulton
B O A R D O F D I R E C TO R S Todd Apo, Board Chair Brian Wong, Vice Chair Calvert Chipchase, Secretary Manoj Samaranayake, Treasurer Rachel Bradley Erik DeRyke Jeff Higashi Michelle Ho Scott Higashi Melissa Jackson Brenda Mitchell Jon Murakami Katie Pickman Keri Shepherd Andrew Shimabukuro
CONNECT WITH US @ M A K E AW I S H H AWA I I
Pictured: Trini accepts a generous donation from Windward Dodge Chrysler Jeep to Give Wishes Wings. Wish alum Wallace now works for the company and helped present the gift along with Jerry V! Read about Wallace's story on the next page.
MY LIFE
WishfulThinking • My Life Now
NOW I wish to go to Walt Disney World
"Make-A-Wish had a big impact not only in my life, but my family’s lives." -Wish Alum Wallace
Twenty-nine-year-old Wallace, called Kainoa by those closest to him, flips through the old photo albums slowly, laughing at the faces he and his older brother Keahi had made at the camera and reflecting on a happy childhood surrounded by a loving family. As the pages turn, the photos move from neighborhood basketball games and cookouts to a set of Polaroids his mom Glenell had labeled “Hospital room #431.” Now an adult, Kainoa explains that the photos were taken after a 9.5-hour brain surgery, a surgery that doctors had given only a 50 percent chance of success. If he did survive, they cautioned, he may never walk again. When Kainoa beat the odds and did pull through his surgery, there was still a long, uncertain journey ahead, filled with radiation, physical therapy, and experimental procedures. During this process, Glenell had written a letter about their journey so far. “We are blessed and satisfied with having our son with us here today,” she writes. “But what the future will hold we don’t know.” At the time, Glenell could have only hoped for what Kainoa’s future ultimately did hold.
Today, he is a 29-year-old husband, father, and successful car salesman. He is married to fellow brain cancer survivor and loving wife Kuulei, and the couple has two beautiful children. Kainoa credits the support of his family and community with where he is today, including Make-A-Wish Hawaii, which granted his wish to go to Walt Disney World in 1998. For Kainoa, the wish gave much-needed time to be a kid and a sense of confidence to persevere through the rest of his journey.
Photos: Rayen Watanabe
Wallace, wish granted 1998, Kaneohe brain tumor
Photo: Abe McAulton
June’s 6th Annual Give Wishes Wings radiothon and telethon raised more than $55,000 to make summer wishes come true! Mahalo to 94.7 KUMU, KHON2, and the many local corporate and individual supporters who made generous gifts toward this year’s event. Alaska Airlines also matched every mile donated, once again helping local wishes take flight! A highlight of the day was revealing that 12-yearold Ava’s wish to go to the LEGO Headquarters would soon be coming true!
Mahalo for Giving Wishes Wings! $7,000+
$1,000+
Aloha Petroleum
Chun Wah Kam
Windward Dodge
Noodle Factory, Honolulu
Chrysler Jeep Ram, Kaneohe
Gwen Amazaki, Honolulu Revolusun LLC, Honolulu
$2,000+ Page Academy of Dance
$500+
Honolulu
Chris Laird, Honolulu
Orange Theory Fitness, Aiea
Murphy's Bar and Grill Ohana Broadcasting
$1,500+
Company, Inc., Honolulu
Earlene Barnes-Anderson
Trisha Sato, Honolulu
Honolulu
John Scammell, Sunapee
Sherilyn Braunthal, Honolulu
7
Photo: Kevin Lubera
th
Miae Song, Honolulu
$200+
Darissann Stout, Kailua-Kona
Rodney Aveiro, Kaneohe
Carla Baker, Lihue DJ's Construction, Aiea Terry Gillingham, Honolulu Miles Harada, Wahiawa Joann Ishii, Beverley Hills Margaret Keller, Makawao Kimberly Loew Kris Oka Anita Peterson, Ewa Beach Clarene Sunada, Honolulu Dorothy Tenn, Honolulu
$100+ Zaida Akeo, Pearl City Courtney Asato, Mililani Grady Burnett, Ewa Beach
ANNUAL
S TAT E C A P I T O L DECEMBER 15, 2019
F E S T I V I T I E S B E G I N 3 P M • W A L K 5 P M
Walk with us and local keiki that need your support this holiday season.
WishfulThinking • Give Wishes Wings
“I feel more motivated to take care of my health and follow my dreams of being a LEGO designer. It made my parents proud and gave them hope for my future.” -Wish kid Ava
Rhea Calderon, Kapolei
Jobi Purdy, Kailua
DeeAnn Carpenter
Raleigh Reid, Aiea
Deanna Carreira, Kaneohe
Mely Rivera, Honolulu
Dexter Caston, Honolulu
Jana Safery
Julia Chan, Mililani
Arden Salassa, Honolulu
Annita Coelho, Haiku
Rachelle Sanchez, Ewa Beach
Eloise Cordeiro, Ewa Beach
Chandra Satele, Honolulu
Raelene Fukuda, Honolulu
Jamie Correa, Waianae
Theresa Shibata, Aiea
Janet Heida
Kawika Correa, Waianae
John Shupe, Honolulu
Cherylene Hidano, Honolulu
Brenda Espaniola, Kaunakakai
Lorna Silkwood, Wailuku
Lucille Hill, Kamuela
Therese Franklin, Honolulu
Evette Son, Honolulu
Robin Jaber, Kailua
Ronald Fukami, Kahului
Ernest Teshima, Kaelakekua
Gail Kaeka, Honolulu
Milton Goo, Honolulu
Meredith Trockman, Kailua
Amy Kaina, Lahaina
Betty Hagio, Pearl City
Arlene Uyeno, Honolulu
Eugene Kaneshiro, Honolulu
Amanda Hair, Waipahu
Rayen Watanabe, Honolulu
Victoria Kerfoot, Kapolei
Jeanne Harada, Mililani
Cheryl West, Makakilo
Wendy Koja, Honolulu
Dana Izumi, Honolulu
Guy White
Allan Lau
Terumi Jichaku, Waipahu
Edwina Wong
Adele Leandro, Honolulu
Karyn Kaina, Honolulu Kenneth Kato, Kapolei
Hoi Chao Wong, Honolulu
Steve Loring Noreen Louie, Honolulu
$25+ Karen Amamalin, Honolulu Luann Asanam, Aiea Earlene Barnes-Anderson, Aiea Rod Braunthal, Honolulu Antoniette Castro, Honolulu Christine Chaikin, Kahului Yolanda Costa Rosalie Deaquino, Waimea Rachel Defeo, Pearl City Margerite Fabre, Aiea Steve Fogtitch, Kaneohe Karen Goo, Honolulu Amy Higuchi, Hilo
Jason Kino, Honolulu
$50+
Aiea Kumon, Pearl City
Linda Akana, Kailua-Kona
Susan Martin, Aiea
Craig Kunishige, Mililani
Aloha E-Liquids, Aiea
Michael Johnson, Honolulu
Deborah Lazur, Honolulu
Alison Mehrman, Kailua
Edmay Apana, Honolulu
Amanda Kaaua, Honolulu
Dawn Lino, Kaneohe
Lisa Armenio-Reis, Honolulu
Laurie Mizuno, Honolulu
Veena Kakarla, Honolulu
Jane Liu, Pearl City
Beverly Au, Honolulu
Monica Monpayre
Alyssa Kapeliela, Ewa Beach
Julie Loo, Ewa Beach
Harvey Barnoff, Honolulu
Claire Muranaka, Honolulu
Amy Kunimura, Kapolei
Janice Luis, Pearl City
Donda Bird, Kihei
Rhonda Nakamura, Honolulu
Albert Lagunte, Kapolei
Alice Masuho, Mililani
Laticia Cervantes, Honolulu
James Nakasone, Mililani
Alexis Liftee, Honolulu
Stephen McCravey, Wahiawa
Joyce Chinen, Waimanalo
Melissa Nicolas, Waipahu
Vivian Lin, Honolulu
Heidi Mele, Hawthorne
Wallace Choy, Kaneohe
Eunice Paglinawan, Mililani
Lois Miyashiro-Tong, Honolulu
Wayne Nakai, Honolulu
Dee Choy Hee, Honolulu
Fe Reyes, Honolulu
Marilyn Moura, Waipahu
Raynette Nakamura, Waipahu
Mara Dela Cruz, Honolulu
Manabu Sakurai, Honolulu
Ross Murakami, Honolulu
Douglas Paalaz
Phyllis Esclito, Honolulu
Masami Takeuchi, Honolulu
Jose Nater-Rodriguez, Waianae
Stacie Pascual, Pearl City
Vance Fuchigami, Kailua
Mae Uchiyama, Mililani
Preet Nijjar, Honolulu
Aura Wilson, Honolulu
Jane Okinaka, Kailua
Heidi Luchterhand, Ewa Beach
Jamier Hines
Mitchell Ono, Waipahu Liya Joy Pascua, Waipahu Taesare Santiago, Kailua Kam Sappal, Honolulu Wayne Simplot, Lahaina Robert Somera, Wahiawa Kathleen Soule, Makawao Ola Souza, Honolulu Lynn Takenishi, Honolulu James Terry, Aiea William Wofford, Wahiawa Erin Yost, Kaneohe Carlton Young, Waipahu Karen Yoza, Pearl City Travis Burich Robert Cartmel, Honolulu Dylan Caston, Honolulu Kent Comstock, Kailua Alice Cypriano, Honokaa Sandra Halualani, Kaneohe Ryan Hirokane, Mililani Jennifer Kamako, Pearl City Ari Matsumura Aleeka Morgan, Aiea Judy Orlando, Honolulu Ruby Surigao, Kailua
3 SIMPLE STEPS TO GET STARTED Register now at jinglerockrun.com. Personalize your participant page and set a fundraising goal. Share your page with friends and family to raise funds before event day.
Kailua wish kid Elijah and his family (pictured above) were the top fundraising team last year, raising more than $1,600 to make more wishes like his come true!
Winners will be determined for top individual and team fundraising, largest team, and most festive costume!
Mahalo to Our Wish Partners! Nearly 500 wish kids visit Hawaii during the summer to experience the warmth and aloha of our beautiful islands. Mahalo to our partners statewide for their support in making these wishes come true!
SHERATON WAIKIKI With the help of our ohana at the Sheraton Waikiki and their sister properties The Royal Hawaiian & Moana Surfrider, wish kids experience Hawaiian hospitality and aloha. Hundreds of wish kids are welcomed with lei upon arrival, enjoy the sweeping vista from Leahi Lounge, and have a blast filling their bag of keepsakes to go alongside the memories they make while in Hawaii. One of the many reasons wish kid Kaiden wished to visit Hawaii was to drink out of a coconut. A sincere mahalo to the Sheraton Waikiki for going above and beyond to share and crack one open for him to enjoy! Mahalo for being a 2020 Elite Corporate Partner.
Pictured: (above) Florida wish kid TJ and his family honored his late father during a wish come true at the Sheraton. (left) Wish kid Rosie took in the ocean view from her lanai at the Moana Surfrider.
WishfulThinking • Mahalo
ENTERPRISE What better way to holoholo and explore the island than together as a family in one of Enterprise's vehicles? Thank you to the team at Enterprise Rent-A-Car for your continued partnership.
LEIS OF HAWAII ALII GREETING SERVICE OHANA LEI GREETERS From the moment wish families arrive to Hawaii to when we bid them “a hui hou”, our sincere mahalo for showing our wish kids aloha. Thank you to Leis of Hawaii, Alii Greeting Service and Ohana Lei Greeters for greeting our wish families with lei upon arrival to our islands.
DOLPHIN QUEST Thirteen-year-old Elizabeth wants to be a dolphin trainer and wished to have as much interaction with dolphins as possible while in Hawaii. She participated in Dolphin Quest’s Marine Mammal Specialist program and learned through hands-on instruction how to use positive reinforcement and affection to create strong relationships and trusting bonds with dolphins. Mahalo Dolphin Quest!
Make-A-Wish® Hawaii 223 South King Street, Suite 100 Honolulu, HI 96813 www.hawaii.wish.org
Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Honolulu, HI Permit No. 1003
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Photo: Tracy Wright Corvo
Upcoming Events SWING FOR WISHES Hawaii Prince Golf Course Thursday, October 3 Registration opens - 10 a.m. Shotgun start - 11 a.m. swingforwishes.com
JINGLE ROCK RUN Hawaii State Capitol Sunday, December 15 Festivities begin - 3 p.m. Walk - 5 p.m. jinglerockrun.com
MACY'S THANKS FOR SHARING
Beginning August 28 Help grant wishes! Join to get 10% back in rewards, and a portion of proceeds come to Make-A-Wish!
Learn how your school or community group can make wishes come true! Contact James Donnelly at jdonnelly@ hawaii.wish.org or visit hawaii.wish.org.