Despite Daylight Savings, it was a cold, chilly morning for the 33 brave volunteers who joined Make-A-Wish staff members at 7am on Sunday, November 4 to prepare for Walk for Wishes 2018. Yet even morning dew couldn’t dampen the mood: Make-A-Wish hope, strength, and joy were in the air (the free coffee generously provided by Harvest House Wilmington helped, too)!
As the sun rose, it illuminated the stunning grounds of Nemours Estate, breathtakingly bedecked with scarlet, gold, and fiery orange leaves. At 8am, participants began to arrive. Soon, the grounds were abuzz with conversation and laughter. Tables full of awesome raffle prizes, fall games and activities, and plenty of free food ensured everyone stayed full and happy as they waited for the main event. Rocky Bluewinkle, beloved Delaware Rocks mascot, even came out to join in the fun!
By 8:45, all 307 walkers had arrived! Walk for Wishes emcee Jessie, from WJBR’s Michael Waite and Jessie in the morning show, led our opening ceremonies. We celebrated the incredible efforts of our top fundraising group, Team Trotman, who have raised over $5,000 this year! Wish Kid Kaitlyn shared her inspirational story and a few highlights of her Wish trip to Hawaii. Then, Walk for Wishes participants had the chance to truly see their efforts in action when 6-year-old Tyler bashfully took the stage for his Wish reveal. A beacon of the Make-A-Wish impact, Tyler will visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom on the one-year anniversary of his open-heart surgery!
After a brief warm-up led by Wish Granter and yoga instructor Tracey Miller, the walkers were ready for action! Rocky stood sentry by the gates, high-fiving participants as they set out on the gorgeous 1.5-mile walk route, where volunteers guided the way.
By the end of the Walk, the day had grown so perfect that it seemed even the weather wanted to help grant some life-changing wishes! Walkers had some time to snag a last-minute treat, pick up their decorated pumpkins, or even try their hand at cornhole while they waited for raffle winners to be selected. Once the prizes were distributed, our first Walk for Wishes event in Delaware had come to an end!
So far, this drive has raised over $30,000 to help spread Make-A-Wish hope, strength and joy. Even though our awesome Walk for Wishes event has come and gone, it isn’t too late for you to help kids with critical illnesses live out their dreams! Our fundraising site will be open until Friday, November 30, so please log on and help us reach our final goal of $40,000!
We love hearing from our supporters, so please let us know if you have any questions or ideas you would like to share! We can be reached by email at jnyx@cuvynqrfi.jvfu.bet or by phone at (215)-654-9355. Thank you for helping us grant life-changing wishes!