Make-A-Wish® Vermont
Research shows that wishes give kids the strength to fight against and sometimes overcome a critical illness.
As the holiday season approaches, you may be dreaming of the first snowfall or planning your annual holiday party. But, a different reality exists for the kids and their families of Make-A-Wish® Vermont. In fact, this can be a particularly difficult time for Wish Kids. Many of the children in the program are in the fight of their lives, enduring sometimes painful medical treatments and living in extreme isolation, which is why Make-A-Wish® Vermont focuses on creating life-changing wishes for Vermont’s children with critical illnesses this time of year and all year long.
Since 1989, Make-A-Wish® Vermont has granted nearly 1,000 wishes to children between 2½ and 18 years of age diagnosed with a critical illness. Research shows that wishes give kids the strength to fight against and sometimes overcome a critical illness. When a child is sick, a family is sick, and when a family is sick, a community is sick, especially in a rural state such as Vermont. It takes a village to grant a wish, and when Vermonters come together, they create truly magical experiences for the family and everybody involved.
Nolan Erwin, 7, from Rutland, Vermont, has a rare genetic condition that has kept him in doctors’ offices and hospital rooms for most of his childhood. At home, Nolan’s bulky wheelchair made it difficult to access his backyard and to do what he loves best: spend time with his family outdoors.
(left)Wish Kid Michael wished to ride a magical train to the North Pole like the Polar Express. In a matter of weeks, Make-A-Wish® Vermont staff and volunteers created an unforgettable Polar Express experience with the help of a Green Mountain rail car. Unfortunately, a few weeks after his wish was granted, Michael passed away from brain cancer; (right)Wish Kid Nolan has a rare genetic condition that confines him to a bulky wheelchair. Nolan wished for an accessible deck so that he could spend quality time with his family outdoors.
Working with Make-A-Wish® Vermont, Nolan’s wish was envisioned: an accessible deck off the back of his house where Nolan could spend quality time with his siblings and parents outdoors.
When neighborhood businesses learned about Nolan’s wish, they sprang into action. VMS Construction got to work designing the deck and reached out to rk MILES to source the materials. In just two days, these local heroes built a beautiful wheelchairaccessible deck, donating all the lumber and their labor. Nolan spends as much time as possible outside on his deck, no longer limited to the indoors, enjoying the sounds of his siblings at play and the wind in the trees. His wish has come true.
A most interesting Vermonter, Jonathan Goldsmith, best known for his role as The Most Interesting Man in the World in Dos Equis ads, has been advocating and supporting Make-A-Wish® Vermont for many years. Most recently, Jonathan has teamed up with PajamaGram to create an online ad to support Make-A-Wish®. It is part of PajamaGram’s effort to raise money for Make-A-Wish® chapters around the country by selling newly designed Make-A-Wish® pajamas. The pajamas convey a message of hope, strength, and joy and are available on their website at pajamagram.com/wish. A portion of the profits from each sale goes to granting wishes for children with critical illnesses. Make-A-Wish® Vermont is honored that Jonathan continues to use his talents to support Wish Kids; please choose to give the gift of Wish Pajamas to your family and friends during the holiday season this year.
- Read more stories like these and learn about ways to get involved at vermont.wish.org.
Wish Kid Mack hasn’t received her wish yet but was able to stop by Make-A-Wish® Vermont’s new home at the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory after receiving treatment.
VERMONT TEDDY BEAR PARTNERSHIP
In March 2020, triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, Make-A-Wish® Vermont was forced to consider how it could continue its mission to grant wishes to children facing critical illness. Wish Kids were forced into isolation as they were incredibly vulnerable to the coronavirus. Fundraising events were canceled, leaving the organization wondering if they could afford to pay the lease on their office space. So, after several years of partnership and generous donations of time and resources, Vermont Teddy Bear and Make-A-Wish® Vermont joined forces, and today the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory is the new home of Make-A-Wish® Vermont.
The Factory now plays an integral role in the Wish Granting process from the start. Not to mention, this partnership has undeniably impacted the factory experience as well. Make-A-Wish® Vermont was ultimately gifted an entire wing of the Factory’s corporate office space. And most days, Factory staff can be found helping devise plans to make the space even more magical for Wish Kids and their families. Since the move in 2020, Make-A-Wish® Vermont has completely transformed the office so that Wish Kids have a joyful space to discover their one true wish. They have even created a Wish Museum in the Factory lobby, open to the public during regular business hours.
However, this partnership is about much more than the physical space. Together, Make-A-Wish® and Vermont Teddy Bear have transformed the culture of both organizations. Every wish granted in Vermont involves Vermont Teddy Bear in some way, whether it is a visit to the Factory or the gift of a Vermont Teddy Bear. Most important, however, the Vermont Teddy Bear staff have devoted countless hours to ensure a joyful wish experience for every child and family that enters the program.
Please stop by the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory for a tour this fall or holiday season!
