Wish Make A Wish Foundation of Metro St Louis

Wish Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro St. Louis 1324 N. Rock Hill Rd. St. Louis, MO 63124 ® NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 495 ST. LOUIS, MO Words -Ruth Ann Schabacker Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro Saint Louis Volunteer Newsletter October/November 2004 Hello from Katie, your new Volunteer Coordinator! Greetings to you, our Dedicated Volunteers! I now have had the opportunity to be in contact with many of you, either in person, through phone, or e-mail. I want to thank everyone who has gotten in touch and given me such a warm welcome. You are wonderful group and I am privileged to work with you. It’s hard to believe that fall is upon us and summer has drawn to a close. Fall is an exciting time at the Make-A-Wish Foundation® as we have several special events and volunteer opportunities which you will see within this newsletter. Consider cooking breakfast with us for the families at the Ronald McDonald House. Or, come play a game of volleyball in support of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Missouri Baptist Children’s Home. You do so much for the organization and we couldn’t succeed without you. Your time, enthusiasm and energy are valued and greatly contribute to our mission of enriching the human experience with strength, hope and joy. I look forward to personally meeting each of you soon. Thank you for your continued support of the Make-A-Wish® mission. Best wishes, DREAMS. . . When you find a dream inside your heart don’t ever let it go. For dreams are the tiny seeds from which tomorrow grows. Wish Words a newsletter for volunteers Order Your Holiday Cards Now! Send the Holiday Card that helps grant the wishes of our very special Wish children. These nondenominational cards are designed by the Metro St. Louis chapter’s Wish Children and come in packages of 25 cards—five each of five designs—and envelopes. The cost is $15 per pack plus shipping ($3.85 for first pack plus $1.25 for each additional pack). To place your order call the Make-A-Wish office at 314-918-9474. Katie Hanson Volunteer Opportunities 11th Annual Volleyball Marathon On Friday, November 5, Canaan Baptist Church will take the courts for the 11th Annual Volleyball Marathon. The marathon will raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home. In the past, this marathon has granted 13 wishes and provided Christmas presents for every child at the Children’s Home. We are looking for volunteers to participate in a variety of ways. If you would like to play in the tournament please contact Phil Brown at 314- 416-8406. If you would like to make a donation for the silent auction you can contact Pat Haase at 314-846-6085. Finally, if you would like to contribute food for the players contact Dana Lawrence at 636-461-1092. Ronald McDonald House Every year, we join the Ronald McDonald House in serving meals to families staying at the house. This time we will be serving breakfast on November 7, 2004 at the house on Park Street (located just south of Cardinal Glennon Hospital.) We ask that you arrive at 7:45 a.m. to help prepare the food and then, help serve the breakfast at 9 a.m. If you are interested please call the Lake’s at 636-527-9533. Wish Child Nicholas New York City, Here I Come! In early July, Wish Child Nicholas learned that he would be heading to New York City to celebrate his birthday at the acclaimed Poke’mon Center. On July 11, he left his Illinois home with his family and best friend in a surprise limo ride to the airport. Upon his arrival, he was greeted with a balloon bouquet by volunteer members of the New York Make-A-Wish chapter. During his wish he visited the Poke’mon Center where he met his favorite character Pikachi and had access to every game in the building. Later in the week the group took the Circle Line Ferry to the Statue of Liberty and saw the Empire State Building. Thanks to Wish Granters Joan Burke and Elizabeth Osterhage for helping make Nicholas’s wish a reality! Highlighted Articles Meet Your New Volunteer Coordinator Welcoming New Interns Volunteer Spotlight Upcoming Events WishGranting News Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand Volunteer Spotlight -Chinese Proverb Welcome New interns! Kathryn Clippard Kathryn is a senior at Saint Louis University majoring in communication and minoring in Spanish. She has held several public relations internships and is actively involved in community organizations like Girl Scouts of America and Children’s Miracle Network. Kathryn is working with Wendy on various communications projects. Tiana Carroll Tiana is a senior at Webster University and is finishing a bachelor’s degree in public relations. Prior to the Make-A-Wish Foundation®, she interned with St. Louis Senior Olympics, conducting media research and assisting the event directors. Tiana wants to learn more about event planning and is working with Joe on several upcoming events including Serving Up Wishes In Prime Time and the 10th Annual Wish Gala. Sophia Li Sophia Li is a junior at Washington University working towards a degree in business administration. She has had diverse professional experiences including an internship with Merrill Lynch and Washington University’s career resource center. She is working with Sandy to create a stronger Make-A-Wish presence in the St. Genevieve area. Youngmin Kim Youngmin is a junior at Washington University studying finance and accounting. He has been very involved with on-campus activities like the International Student Association and Golden Key National Honor Society. Youngmin is also a member of the undergraduate business school council. He is assisting Dianne with various end-of-the-year financial endeavors. Candice Holliday Candice, a senior at Washington University, has returned as a Make-A-Wish intern second year. Candice has worked on various projects with the Make-A-Wish staff but she primarily focuses on the Kids for Wish Kids® program with fundraising coordinator LeaAnn. Welcome back Candice and thank you for your continued support! Sue Lavin Sue Lavin has been a Make-A-Wish volunteer for seven years. She became interested in the organization after her father, a Make-A-Wish advocate, graciously made a donation in his passing. Sue, after finishing graduate school, decided to become more involved with Make-A-Wish and jumped on-board as a Wish Granter and special events volunteer. Sue says that Wish Granting makes her “feel like Santa Clause.” Helping children have their wishes come true is “an incredible experience that teaches her so much.” Sue, an auditor at Express Scripts, is very close with her nieces and nephews and has gotten them interested in the Foundation by bringing them to various Make-A-Wish events. In her spare time, Sue enjoys crafts and reading. Thank you, Sue, for all your contributions to the Make-A-Wish Family. Board Spotlight Marilyn Lustgarten Marilyn Lustgarten recently joined our volunteer team as a member of the Board of Directors where she will serve as a liaison to the Human Resources Committee. Marilyn has been an active member of this committee in the past, working with staff members Sandy Lehrer and Dianne Brncic and also attending various Make-AWish events. Through this involvement, she has observed the selfless dedication that our volunteers give to the mission of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the children it serves. Having had these experiences, she wanted to get more involved and was thrilled to be elected to the Board. Besides her devotion to Make-A-Wish, Marilyn runs her own management consulting business, which doesn’t leave her with a lot of free time! When she does find a moment to relax, she likes to garden and read. She also volunteers with her church and other professional and community organizations. Marilyn has been happily married to her husband Michael for 20 years. She wants to thank you, our volunteers, for your talent, support and energy. Thank you, Marilyn, for your time and dedication. Welcome New Volunteers! Erin Cosgrove, Jessica Haider, Sarah Meister, Theresa Bates, Jennifer Wood, Mike Cole, Amanda Pease, Julie Mayer, Heather Richardson, Amy Fasnut, Kim Grispo, Rich Mottl, and Lisa Primeau, Amanda Pease, Julia Mayer, Heather Richardson, Jessica Haider, Theresa Bates, Jennifer Wood, Mike Cole, John Wolf, Karen Wolf, Denise Peiper, Mary Burlingame, and Cheryl Graber, Jennifer Jenson, Gary Hentis, David French, Susan Stewart, Michelle Lavery, Mia Mitchell, Jamey Chilson, Lisa Michelson, Jackie Morgan, Jennifer McArth, Brenna Sanders, Ryan White, Jim Barboza, Jerilyn Reilly, Mary Brown, Dawn Reed, Nancy Weingart, Amanda Sauer, Peter Sauer, Kevin Marquitz, Kristen Williamson, Ryan Mason, Peggy Rodgers, Diane Strodtman and Ella Wood. Volunteer Days Thanks to everyone who joined us at Eckert’s Country Store and Farm for “Volunteer Days,” the first of several volunteer social events. We had a great time meeting you and your families while spending an afternoon of pumpkins, ice cream and cider. Stay tuned for another fun opportunity where you can meet and mingle with other volunteers while we celebrate and thank you for your efforts. Volunteer THANK YOU’s! Thank you to all our volunteers who helped at the following events: The Ronald McDonald house dinner and breakfast Channel 5’s “Window on St. Louis” Missouri and Illinois Make-A-Wish Golf Tournaments The Illinois Wish Family picnic Breesefest Cold Stone Creamery Grand Opening MasterCard Trivia pre-registration night Gateway Combined Federal Campaign Cancer Survivorship “Celebrate Life” Missouri Bar check presentation Herbster-Hellweg Painting Company Charity Golf tournament 100 Inning Softball Game check presentation A special thank you goes out to volunteers who have recently spoken on behalf of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Also, a particular thanks to our office assistants who help on a regular and as-needed basis. The staff appreciates your patience and dedication greatly! Updates and Friendly Reminders Make-A-Wish Day by Things Remembered® Since 1997, Things Remembered, the nation’s only chain of personalized gift stores, has teamed up with the Make-A-Wish Foundation® to help fulfill dreams of area children. On Saturday, November 13, Things Remembered will celebrate “National Make-A-Wish Day” at all of its stores across the country. Help Things Remembered reach its goal of raising $100,000 in one day by volunteering your time in one of their area stores. We are looking for volunteers to greet customers as they enter and share the Make-A-Wish message. Please wear Make-A-Wish apparel to identify yourself as a representative of the Foundation. We ask that Make-A-Wish Volunteers participate at one of the following locations between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. OR between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on November 13: Chesterfield Mall, Westfield Shopping Town in West County Mall, Mid Rivers Mall, Crestwood Plaza, Northwest Plaza, South County Center, St. Clair Square, Alton Square and Illinois Center Mall. If you are interested in participating in this event, please contact Katie Hanson at khanson@stlouis.wish.org or 314-918-9474. Help Us Continue to Grow Wish Granting and Public Speaking We are especially in need of Wish Granters in the southern Illinois area and the northern and southern parts of Missouri. If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a Wish Granter please contact Ellen at (314) 918-9474. Additionally, we are always looking for enthusiastic speakers. If you are interested in joining our speaker’s bureau, contact Wendy Schneider at 314-918-8474 or wschneider@stlouis.wish.org. Good News Congratulations to John and Karen Wolf, the proud grandparents of baby boy, Brady Wolf, born September 22, 2004. Jacob Miller, son of Joe Miller, event supervisor, is getting bigger and busier everyday. He was born March 31, 2004. Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro Saint Louis Volunteer Newsletter October/November 2004 Ellen Wheeler is pregnant and due in December. Ellen and her husband have two boys who are looking forward to a new sibling—boy or girl!