Spring 2020
WishfulThinking • Note from Trini
Aloha Wish ‘Ohana, What an incredible Season of Wishes it has been! As we move into spring, I’d like to first pause and reflect on the generosity, heart, and aloha you have shown our wish families over the past few months. From attending events like our 7th Annual Jingle Rock Run presented by Enterprise to making generous holiday and year-end gifts and volunteering, you helped us close out our most successful year yet. Thanks to you, we granted a record-breaking 99 wishes for keiki across our islands and welcomed 1,263 visiting wish children to Hawaii in 2019—wishes that sparked imagination, delivered strength, and truly changed lives.
From sand to snow: Honolulu wish kid Devon wished to see snow for the first time. Check out his wish come true later in this issue! Photo: Abe McAulton
B O A R D O F D I R E C TO R S Jeff Higashi, Chairman Calvert Chipchase, Secretary Manoj Samaranayake, Treasurer Todd Apo Rachel Bradley Tom Calame Erik DeRyke Julianne Erickson Rick Fried Scott Higashi Michelle Ho Charlie Hunter Todd Iacovelli Melissa Jackson Brenda Mitchell Katie Pickman Keri Shepherd Andrew Shimabukuro Brian Wong
CONNECT WITH US @ M A K E AW I S H H AWA I I
Pictured: Eleven-year-old Mililani wish kid Zeila raised funds and shared her story at this year’s Jingle Rock Run.
This season alone, we had the joy of watching transformational wishes come true for children like Jamea, who wished to see Hamilton on Broadway, and Alyssa, who wished to meet her favorite K-pop band in Korea. We saw our community rally around children like Paige, who wished to dance with princesses Anna and Elsa at Walt Disney World®, and Devon, who dreamed of playing in the snow for the first time. We also enjoyed a special wish sendoff for wish kid Taz and his family thanks to our friends at Alaska Airlines. And our visiting wish children, some of whom spent their holidays here in Hawaii, enjoyed wonderful hospitality and aloha during their wishes come true. I hope you’ll enjoy reading more about these wishes and events in the following pages and that you know how truly grateful we are for all that you do to make wishes come true. Thank you for wishing with us this season and all year round. Mahalo and Best Wishes,
Trini Kaopuiki Clark President and CEO
Photo: Abe McAulton
ON THE COVER
RECENT EVENTS
Thank you to our partners at Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa for hosting a successful 13th Annual Swing for Wishes golf tournament on October 3. One of the largest fundraising tournaments in the state, Swing for Wishes has raised over $1.2 million since its inception, drawing in hundreds of golfers each year. This year, thanks to the Hyatt and our generous sponsors and golfers, we raised an incredible $180,000 to make wishes come true! Mahalo to all who supported and joined us on the green for this fun tournament benefiting local wish families.
Each year, we look forward to celebrating the holiday season with Hawaii wish families at our Light the Night celebration in December. For the past two years, Locations Foundation has generously sponsored this event, which brings together wish families from the past few years to enjoy live entertainment, keiki activities, and photos with Santa. Mahalo to our friends at Locations Foundation for your continued support and for showing wish families past and present that our community cares.
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Thousands of participants, sponsors, volunteers, and vendors joined us at the 7th Annual Jingle Rock Run on December 15 to walk side-by-side with local wish families and share in the power of a wish this holiday season. Presented by Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Commute with Enterprise, this year’s event raised over $250,000 to make wishes come true thanks to generous sponsorships, participant fundraising, and fun new challenges. Participants enjoyed live entertainment, the signature Alaska Airlines Keiki Sprint, and keiki activities prior to the walk through downtown and Kaka’ako. Mahalo to all who supported this year’s Jingle Rock Run and rocked the wish!
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hawaii.wish.org • 808-537-3118
WishfulThinking • Recent Wishes
CHANGE THE LIVES OF WISH KIDS Mahalo for making wishes like these possible!
Mahalo to First American Title for adopting Paige’s wish!
“Thank you for the comfort you’ve given us and the experiences we will not forget. The wish is something we will always cherish and remember.” – Wish Dad Randy
I wish to dance with Anna and Elsa Paige, 9, Makawao leukemia
Photo: Darcy Fiero Photography
Photo: Mariah Milan Photography
I wish to see snow for the first time
I wish to meet the Korean pop band Stray Kids
I wish to go to Walt Disney World®
I wish to see Hamilton on Broadway
Devon, 8, Honolulu
Alyssa, 16, Honolulu
Taz, 11, Honolulu
Jamea, 17, Wahiawa
“It’s an unforgettable experience that forever will be cherished in our lives. There’s hope after all we had gone through with Devon’s health condition.”
“This wish experience provided our family continued strength and hope for Alyssa’s future… [it] provided a boost to Alyssa which has enabled her to tackle her physical limitations with renewed hope and vigor.”
“We had a wonderful time and can’t thank Make-A-Wish enough.”
“Make-A-Wish is amazing. The generous stuff that they do for kids like me…really shines a light in the dark times.”
heart condition
-Wish Mom Rose
cystic fibrosis
–Wish Dad Christopher
heart condition
- Wish Mom Jaydee
lymphoma
– Wish Kid Jamea
M A H A LO TO O U R
W I S H PA R T N E R S ! Local partners statewide helped us welcome nearly 1,300 visiting wish families to the islands in 2019. Below are just a few of the wonderful partners who show so much aloha to these families year after year. Charley’s Taxi & Tours
Photo: Darcy Fiero Pho tog
raphy
Charley’s Taxi & Tours served over 250 wish families this year, going above and beyond to ensure that children like Brendan, who wished to visit the Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaii ceremony, and Evan, who wished to run the Honolulu Marathon, made it to and from their wishes come true seamlessly. In addition to their continued support for visiting wish families, the company even made a generous $1,500 donation to benefit local wish kids!
Sheraton Waikiki Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa Waikiki Beach Marriott Wish kids from across the country spent the holidays here in paradise at resorts like Sheraton Waikiki, Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, and Waikiki Beach Marriott. A huge mahalo to the staff at each of these hotels for going to great lengths to make visiting wish families feel at home all year long and for making their holidays extra merry and bright!
Pacific Historic Parks Nearly 150 wish families visited Pacific Historic Parks this year. We would like to extend a huge mahalo to the entire team, including Special Projects and Program Services Manager Edean Saito, who personally hosts and takes care of our wish families as they tour the parks. Thank you, Pacific Historic Parks!
“Ryley will remember this epic adventure for the rest of his life! Y'all have helped us to push through and imagine our lives past Ryley's cancer diagnosis. Being on the island changed my whole family's mindset on the goals we wish to set for ourselves and what we can achieve.” -Wish Mom Laura
hawaii.wish.org • 808-537-3118
WishfulThinking • Supporters
Photo: Simply Baby Photography
WE
OUR DONORS! Happy Valentine’s Day! We could not fulfill our mission of granting life-changing wishes without the support of donors like Steve and Alli, who recently adopted Molokai wish kid Alayna’s wish for a staycation at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa! Mahalo Steve and Alli!
GALA HONOREES At this year’s gala, WISH! A Night in Old Havana, we’ll be recognizing six supporters who have gone above and beyond to impact the lives of our local wish families. From medical partners and volunteers to board members and donors, many people come together to grant just one wish. These honorees have each helped us fulfill our mission in their own unique ways.
Corporate Partner of the Year- Alaska Airlines Why do you support Make-A-Wish Hawaii?
I wish to have a staycation at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa
We believe that wishes fill a vital need for Hawaii’s keiki facing critical illnesses and that we can use our gift of travel to impact this need. Research shows that wishes have the potential to give kids the hope and strength they need to fight harder. For children battling a critical illness, a wish can give them and their families the chance to believe anything is possible, and Alaska has been proud to partner with Make-A-Wish Hawaii and our local community in support of this important work.
Alayna, 9, Kualapu’u
nervous system disorder
What color classic car would you be driving in Havana? Midnight blue—as it’s the foundation of our brand’s Aura, which is directly inspired by the aurora borealis.
Make your gift at hawaii.wish.org.
n Watanab Photo: Raye
Donate and change the lives of more keiki like Alayna.
e
Spread love today.
I wish to go to Walt Disney World® Taz, 11, Honolulu heart condition
You can support this year’s Wısh! Gala by donating an item or service to our auction or by reserving a table sponsorship. For more information, please contact Arden at asalassa@hawaii.wish.org.
Philanthropist of the YearMelissa Jackson
Why do you support Make-A-Wish Hawaii? It is simple for me. Because every life is important, and every child is special. Every minute of time and every penny leads to positive change for a child and that child’s family.
Why do you support Make-A-Wish Hawaii? I support MakeA-Wish Hawaii because it does such important work for these children and their families. They’re pulled out of a situation and able to have a wonderful experience and make memories that last a lifetime. Along the way it gives wish kids something to look forward to. It gives them and their families hope.
What color classic car would you be driving in Havana? I would want to drive a turquoise coupe de ville convertible because it’s a true classic. And who doesn’t love a little turquoise in their life!
Leadership AwardBob Bruhl Why do you support Make-AWish Hawaii? How can you not?
What color classic car would you be driving in Havana? None. Havana is the type of city I’d need to walk through.
What color classic car would you be driving in Havana?
Wish Family of the YearWish Mom Melissa & Ohana
Black car with dark red interior. There can be no other classic car…
Why do you support Make-A-Wish Hawaii? I support Make-A-Wish Hawaii because of their tireless efforts to positively impact children during the most challenging times of their lives. A wish is an unforgettable, life-altering moment in a family’s journey filled with love, laughter, and gratitude for everyone involved.
What color classic car would you be driving in Havana? We’d be driving in a Make-A-Wish blue classic car because somewhere over the rainbow the skies are blue and the wishes that we dare to dream really come true.
Healthcare Partner of the Year- Dr. Charles Neal, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children
Volunteer of the YearTalia Osurman Why do you support Make-A-Wish Hawaii? To grant a wish for a kid is amazing. It’s a moment in a wish kid’s life when they have no worries and are happy. For me to be a part of that happiness is why I love being a volunteer.
What color classic car would you be driving in Havana? My car would be a Cadillac. Although I Rayen love purple, let’s Photo: go with red! Watanabe hawaii.wish.org • 808-537-3118
Make-A-Wish® Hawaii 223 South King Street, Suite 100 Honolulu, HI 96813 www.hawaii.wish.org
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UPCOMING EVENTS
I wish to meet Pluto Adonis, 7, Kaneohe seizure disorder
WAFFLES FOR WISHES Saturday, February 29, 2020 Aloha Tower Marketplace 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. wafflesforwishes.com
a night in old
WISH! A NIGHT IN OLD HAVANA Saturday, May 2, 2020 Sheraton Waikiki 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Please contact Arden Salassa at asalassa@hawaii.wish.org for sponsorship information and to reserve your table.
Photo: Simply Baby Photography