Adopt an Angel 2006
Update: January 3, 2007
Over
$165,000 raised. We have reached 72% of our goal.
The
Our Corporate Challenge
program raised nearly $11,000 towards the campaign. During this weekly contest,
local businesses lend out their employees to staff the Adopt An Angel booth at
Crossgates between 2-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Every week we crown a
different Corporate Challenge winner. This year’s winners were:
We are also grateful for
the virtual strangers who called us during the last week of the campaign,
offering to donate TMX Elmo dolls and Playstation 3 systems for us to auction
or raffle to raise funds. Unfortunately, because of the timing, we were unable
to take advantage of some of these opportunities, but are still so grateful for
the generosity of the community. We never cease to be amazed at the kindness of
strangers (and friends!), and the lengths they will go to make children’s
wishes come true.
And last, but certainly
not least, a final thanks to our sponsors: BlueShield of Northeastern New York,
First Niagara Bank, CBS-6, B95.5, Thomson Delmar Learning, Fox 44, MP103, Wild
Country 96.5; our volunteers and campaign contributors, especially Karen
Schultheis,
And remember, this isn’t
the end…we will continue to receive funds from schools, businesses, and
individual donors that will be added to the total. When we have a final total,
usually in February, we will make sure to get that out to you.
Update Dec 22nd 2006
If you’re interested in another “feel-good” story, check out the NBC Nightly News tonight where there will be a story about wish child Mike Friedman, a 16-year-old from Connecticut who is using his "shopping spree" wish to provide presents for other children with life-threatening medical conditions, helping them overcome the boredom of hospital stays.
Happy Holidays!
DECEMBER 21, 2005--TOTAL RAISED TO DATE: $111,000
First Niagara has surpassed the amount they raised last year by over $2,000, easily topping their goal for this year, which they set at $20,000. To date the branches have raised over $21,000 for the campaign.
Today, 18-year-old Demetrius, who is from Schenectady County, will have his wish for an in-home recording studio granted. We are so excited for him!!! He writes his own music and has experience in recording studios, so this a real wish come true. He was in the hospital for treatment yesterday and said that all he could think about was today’s big event. That is exactly what a wish should be and we can’t wait to hear more about it and share his news. Look for some pictures and a story in an upcoming Make-A-Wish newsletter.
In addition, angel representative Josh Richardson spoke at the NYS Commissioners’ Holiday Gathering last night. This wonderful event is held at the Executive Mansion in Albany and all of the proceeds are donated to our local Make-A-Wish chapter. Josh did a great job of sharing his excitement about his wish to meet Dale Earnhardt Jr. and why it meant so much to him. He also had the opportunity to meet local celebrity chef Carmine Spiro, who offered to have Josh do a day of apprenticeship with him. Josh’s second love, after racing, is cooking, so he was thrilled!
Make-A-Wish volunteer George Sicard (George from Lake George) will be shaving off his mustache tonight and making $5,000 for the foundation. As legend has it, George has been growing this mustache since 1969 and has never shaved it off. Well, tonight is the night…and all of the money will help make wishes come true. Thanks to George for all of his efforts on behalf of Make-A-Wish and the Adopt An Angel campaign in the Glens Falls area. If you would like to join the festivities, stop by the Olde Post Grille for their annual Adopt An Angel party.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you again for your support of the campaign. We will continue to inform you as we receive final tallies in from the mall booths, the direct mail portion of the campaign, and all of the local schools and businesses who sold paper angels on our behalf.
We can’t thank you enough for all that each of you have done to support our efforts on behalf of sick children this year. Happy Holidays and best wishes to each of you and your families in the New Year.
Cheers and best wishes--
Wendi Brandow
DECEMBER 14, 2005—TOTAL RAISED TO DATE: $78,000
“It’s beginning to look a lot
like Christmas” or so the song goes, and we are hoping that is the case.
As many of you know, six-year-old Dominique will be arriving at the
Thanks to honorary chairperson
In other exciting news, Adopt An
Angel representative Josh Richardson will be a guest of Governor George Pataki
at the annual New York State Commissioners’ Holiday Party on Tuesday, December
20. Josh will speak about his wish to meet Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his
involvement with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The funds that are raised at the
event will be donated to the foundation.
An article about Adopt An Angel
representative, Lily, will also appear in the Ravena News-Herald, so keep an
eye out for that.
As we prepare to head into the
final week of the campaign, we hope that each of you can take a minute to give
the campaign one final push. If you know of an additional way we can get the
word out, or if you need our help supporting your extra efforts, please let us
know. As always, thanks for all of your support and efforts on behalf of
Make-A-Wish children!
Cheers and best wishes--
Wendi Brandow
Joe Moore's Speech December 10, 2005
My son was the all American boy, good student, gifted athlete, handsome, and liked by all that became to know him. As a father I would see kids on TV that were sick, or stories of families that would suffer set backs in life. I would always feel bad for them, but never gave it much thought, as those kind of things do not happen to me, or mine, just to others. Well I am here tonight to tell you it did and it can.
In March of 2001, at the age of 17 my son was diagnosed with having Gorham's Disease, which is a very rare life threatening disease that literally eats your bones. At that time it required him to have two major surgeries to help stabilize his spine, ribs, and lungs.To say the least our family was devastated and almost speechless at times. All I can remember thinking was it was like a bad dream and this wasn't really happening to us.
As a father, not being able to take away the pain for the one you love is a very helpless and gut wrenching feeling. There were times he would beg for me to help him. All I could do was think if I could only trade places with him. I still hear his cry for help to this day.
Then one day, sitting in a dark hospital room I heard a voice say to my child " Jake" if you had one wish, what would it be? Then to see his eyes open, the wheels turning in his head, a smile appear, after weeks of being depressed, scared and confused is nothing more then priceless to a parent of a sick child.
The hope it gave him and how it changed his way of thinking was truly amazing. I noticed from that day on a change in him as a person. He became much more understanding and compassionate as time went by, qualities I feel he took away from his experience with his family at the Make A Wish Foundation.
In my personal opinion, I feel the average person sees the trips and material items these children receive, but what they do not know is "The Power of a Wish" is so much more that that. Most people do not see what these kids actually go through, the things they have to deal with, things many take for granted. I have seen 1st hand the difference that a wish made to my son Jake. How it made dark days a little brighter, how it took his mind off his problems that people 2-3 times his age would not be able to deal with.
Every child wants to be with their friends, play outside, play sports and do normal activity's. But man can not and it takes a toll on them mentally. Make A Wish restores alot of which these kids miss out, giving them a sense of hope and worth, transforming self confidence and well being back into their lives. It gives them a light at the end of the tunnel.
I have also seen the bond and closeness that comes from the volunteers and staff at Make A Wish. These are relationships that will last a lifetime. These people become a part of the family and a very important part as they not only give support and love to the children, but also help the parents who are dealing with a mom and dad's worst nightmare.
My son's wish was to meet the band The Counting Crows. With the help of some wonderful people that wish became a reality and was nothing short of magnificent. The groups music helped Jake get thru some very hard days during his hospital stay.
The love his wish granters gave to his project was very special and real. I do have to admit it also had its moments. We all will never forget pulling up to the airport in the back of a limo and looking out the windows and seeing 3 grown adult women dressed like crows, packing a boom box on their shoulders and flopping around in some kind of dance. We didn't know if we should get out, or call the cops.
These special women gave my son memories none of us will ever forget. They spent hours with him, each having families of their own, but always there to offer support in anything he did. A perfect example was the time the Olympic torch passed through Albany for the winter games. Jake was told in March he would never walk again, in December he was given the chance to walk 1 block holding the torch. Again his wish family was there for his support, as we stood there we noticed Jake wasn't walking, but rather jogging and running right past us, as he went two blocks. Again these very special individuals were there for us and parading around with signs with Jake's name and picture for all to see. I felt they were as proud of my son, as I was. Again these are times families don't forget and another very important part of the "Power of a Wish" that many do not see.
The Make A Wish Foundation and the Counting Crows gave my son something to look forward to while he was sick and recovering and memories that he never forgot.
After his trip his life changed drastically and he became very close to a few people who had a huge impact on his final years. Jake became very close with many of the bands members, but his closest bond was with the groups drummer Ben Mize. Ben would travel up from his home in Georgia to spend time with my son. They would go out to lunch and to music stores in the malls. The thing I admired most of Ben was how he really cared about Jake's situation. He brought Jake a guitar and told him to practice and he would put him on stage when they comeback to the area at SPAC. Again it took his mind off his problems and gave him a reason to live and it wouldn't had been possible if not for the help of the Make A Wish Foundation.
Jake also became very close friends with Wendi Brandow, the coordinator of the Northern New York Chapter. With Wendi's help he was able to educate many people radio interviews, TV appearances, speeches with included speaking at the Governors Mansion, New York State Trooper functions and the Make A Wish Gala. Now she is helping me continue Jake's legacy and hopefully carry the torch, he passed to me, half as high as he did.
My son taught all that came into contact with him some very valuable lessons. I truly believe his association with The Make A Wish Foundation brought alot of that out in him.
I never knew a man could learn so much about life thru his very own child. Jake taught me alot of lifes lessons. I remember trying to express my thoughts in a email I sent him while he was on life support in Boston's Mass General Hospital. He wasn't able to communicate, but did read his email off a laptop in his room. I wrote him not knowing he would ever be able to talk again and in that email I expressed to him how proud I was to be his father and how he was my hero for not only being a great child while he was healthy, but rather how proud I was of him for what he had become with a life threatening disease. The way he handled things, the class, dignity he upheld, how he always put others in front of himself, never to complain, show fear and do everything with a smile. I can see why my boy was the perfect definition in every way for the word "Angel." He truly is now and he was in life.
I have come full circle as a parent of a wish child. It has shown me the beauty of life and in people. I have also seen the pain and suffering of others. Coming from where I've been, the connection with the Make A Wish Foundation has inspired me to help inspire others how wonderful The "Power of a Wish" really is. I want to thank each and everyone of you for your efforts, volunteering, supporting and contribution to Make A Wish. Although my son is no longer with us, his spirit and compassion for others is and from that we can all make a difference in a sick child and their families life.
Thank you
Letter December 10, 2005
Good
morning,
You all are such special people!
Thank you so much for giving me a wonderful sendoff last night. I appreciate the
effort that went into the evening and especially the very kind and meaningful
sentiments you all expressed to me. The gifts were also so thoughtful and I will
treasure them forever.
Making this transition go as
smoothly as possible has been the top priority for me but it hasn’t always been
easy emotionally (definitely a growth experience!). Thanks to all of you who
have helped me to work towards this goal—especially Leslie and the staff team.
All this work will allow our new leader to assimilate into the organization
quickly and with your help begin to immediately build on all the work we have
already done.
As I said last night, the hardest
part of my decision to leave was that you are all like a family to me and our
mission is so dear to my heart. I so value you all and the tremendous passion
you share for what we do for the children and families we serve. What we each
provide is a piece of ourselves…the true meaning of “community”. As I frequently
say, the children and families whose lives we touch are most moved by the
people involved in wishes. They
frequently comment on how wish granters/volunteers, staff, donors, vendors,
celebrities and others go out of their way to connect in a human and supportive
way. They are so grateful for people taking the extra time, walking the journey,
saying the special words, putting in the extra effort, giving so selflessly, and
making them feel supported. Joe expressed this so well (thanks so much to Joe
for sharing the evening with us and reminding us all how special Jake was to us
all!) in describing his family’s experience during Jake’s wish and the years
after. Seeing Kat, Kathy, and Brenda outside the limo dressed up as crows is
just one example of the heartfelt and joyful memories that we help to create.
It’s about bringing hope when it’s difficult to see any…it’s about working
together to build strength in families to help them get through each day…it’s
about finding a way to bring a smile or laugh to make it easier to get through
it all.
Thanks
again!!
December 7, 2005
Wow! What else can we say right now? The totals that we are seeing coming in from each of our major points of sale are very encouraging. We are a quarter of the way to our goal and are hoping that the momentum continues throughout the next 16 days. Surpassing our goal just means we are able to help that many more children with life-threatening medical conditions.
As many of you know, Dominic’s wish for flight lessons came true this past weekend when he was presented with a “scholarship” for flight lessons through Richmor Aviation. Dominic and his dad will take lessons together, giving them enough experience to be able to co-pilot a plane. In addition, Dominic received a flight jacket, flight manuals, tickets to the Rhinebeck Aerodrome Show, and a signed photo from the Blue Angels. According to Dominic’s mom, the normally talkative child was left speechless by the experience. Thanks to CBS-6 and the Times Union for their beautiful coverage of this wish come true.
CBS-6 has been doing a great job of spreading the word about the campaign through their coverage of “extra” stories like Dominic’s, and through their anchors, who have been highlighting the campaign during their newscasts. Stories of the children who are representing the campaign began airing during the 5:00 p.m. news last night. Hopefully some of you were able to catch Lily’s story. If not, keep an eye out on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5 p.m. through December 22 for a closer look at each of the children and their respective wishes.
Magic 100.9 FM will broadcast live from the booth this Sunday, so make sure you stop by and thank the Albany Broadcasting station for their support if you are at Crossgates Mall.
Thanks to all of the BlueShield employees and First Niagara employees who are working so hard to sell paper angels and make wishes come true. We are so grateful for your support.
Cheers and best wishes--
Wendi Brandow
November 30, 2005
The next several weeks are going to be some exciting ones here at the Make-A-Wish Foundation. We have several unique and interesting wishes due to come true just in time for the holidays. This Saturday will see a Schenectady youth have his wish for flight lessons come true at Richmor Aviation in Schenectady. There will be a big party to present him with certificates for the lessons, along with some other special treats his wish granters have cooked up for him. In addition, we will have a child visiting us from Naples, Florida. Her wish is to go to the North Pole (New York, that is!) and meet Santa and see snow. What a wonderful and simply sweet holiday wish! These are just a few of the wishes that each of you are helping to make come true through your support of the Adopt An Angel campaign.
Special thanks go out to B95.5 for their live remote to support the campaign, held at our Crossgates Mall booth on Sunday, November 27. There is no doubt that loyal B95.5 listeners heard this on their way to do some holiday shopping and stopped by the booth to buy some angels. Thanks again to Chad O’Hara and everyone else at Albany Broadcasting who made this happen.
Articles about the Adopt An Angel campaign will also appear in this weekend’s editions of the Saratoga Business Journal and Glens Falls Business Journal, so take a peek at those if you have a chance.
As other developments happen, we will keep you posted. Thanks again for your support of our children. If you have any other ideas for how we can encourage more folks to get out and buy the paper angels, please let me know. And if you happen to be at a First Niagara branch or any of the participating malls, make sure you stop by the booth and tell the volunteers or the tellers “Thank you” for helping to make children’s wishes come true!
NOVEMBER 22, 2005
What a wonderful way to start off our 13th
annual Adopt An Angel campaign! Anyone who was at Crossgates Mall
last Thursday night knows exactly what I mean. There was an
energy about the campaign that can’t be described. Several people
commented on it and on how festive and upbeat the live broadcast
was. Our special thanks go out to Sue Nigra and CBS-6 for making
the broadcast such a success. Special thanks also go out to our
newest “superstars,” Lily, Josh, Mackenzie, Hunter, Buddy, and Tonita
and their families for their support of the broadcast. They
really made it fun!
To
date, the campaign has raised over $6,000 and we are just getting
started! The booths at Aviation Mall, Latham Circle Mall, and
Champlain Centre all open this weekend. We will also be open at
Boscov’s in
Honorary
chairperson Joe Moore and his daughter Joanna visited the employees at
BlueShield this week to share with them what a difference a wish made
to their family. Joe made a powerful statement about the real
impact this campaign has directly on children (and their families) by
making wishes come true. Great job Joe! Thanks to BlueShield for
inviting us in for this opportunity.
Interviews
with our angel representatives have started airing on B95.5 and the
commercials are airing on CBS-6, so make sure you keep an eye and an
ear out for these local “celebrities.”
Over
the next few weeks, you will also start seeing ads featuring some of
the children and their stories in local papers. You will also be
receiving more specific updates about our totals and how the campaign
is going.
As
we get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, we are most thankful for each
of you, who are helping to make other children’s wishes come true…for
our volunteers, who add the magic…for our supporters who fund
children’s wishes…for the medical professionals who believe in the
power of a wish…and for the children and families who inspire us on a
daily basis. We are grateful to know and work with each and every
one of you.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Cheers and best wishes--
Wendi Brandow
Please feel free to pass this information on to anyone you think would appreciate the information
NOVEMBER 16, 2005
Wow! I really
can’t believe it, but the time is almost here to kick off another
successful Adopt An Angel campaign. It seems no matter how early
we start our planning the actual start of the campaign always sneaks up
on us.
For those of you who don’t know, the official start of the campaign will be Thursday, November 17 between
Our thanks go out to all of our sponsors, especially BlueShield of Northeastern New York, who has been the presenting sponsor of the campaign since its inception in 1992. Joining BlueShield are First Niagara Bank, CBS-6, B95.5 and
Special thanks also go out to campaign chair person
Lily, 13, Coxsackie, who wished for a bedroom makeover; Buddy, 10, Delanson, who wished to meet the Thunderbirds at Nellis Air Force Base; Mackenzie, 5, Corinth, who wished to go to Walt Disney World® Resort; Hunter, 5, Averill Park, who wished to go to Walt Disney World® Resort; Josh, 15, Scotia, who wished to meet Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Tonita, 11, Colonie, who wished to go to Walt Disney World® Resort; Emily, 18, Ticonderoga, who wished to record her own CD; and Faith, 8, West Chazy, who wished to have a playhouse.
We
cannot say enough about these children and their families, who are
giving their time and talent, and putting a very real face on the power
of a wish. We are so grateful for their involvement and their
very real support of the foundation.
Over the coming weeks these e-mail updates will keep each of you posted on our progress towards our goal ($200,000—enough to
help us make the wishes of 33 local children come true)! They
will also allow us to share with you any neat happenings going on with
the campaign and with the kids who are representing it.
Please
feel free to pass this information on to anyone you think would
appreciate the information. Here’s to another successful campaign
and to each of you who is helping us make wishes come true. What
better way to spend the holiday season!
Cheers and best wishes,
Wendi Brandow
