Make a Wish (and other organizations!) - Wish Trippers...UNITE!! Volume 2!

[maroo]

As a mother of twins who were born at 26 weeks (2 lb 1 oz each), I can certainly relate to what your friend and darling baby are going through. I shall add my prayers! And our guys are little miracles: my guys are now 11 years old. Yes, Mark was cerebral palsy, which affects his mobility and they both have some medical issues, but they have done very well. Praying that this little one does well!

That sweet baby is now an angel in heaven.



I think she posted it on another thread...and maybe this one on a prior page? Not sure...but her battle ended way too soon.

 

[Soon2B4]

Ok guys, I need some thoughts and ideas. Our MAW chapter contacted me yesterday and said that the company that sponsored Aidan's wish would like to have us for a lunch/party after we get back. It's the first time they have sponsored a wish and they are very excited. What would you do to show them your appreciation? Due to the holidays, I have 11 days after we get back before we are having our lunch with them. I am going to do my best to get our pictures back, but I feel like I should do more. They are a group of 62 employees that had to raise more than $6,000 to officially sponsor a wish. Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated!!!

Also, I stood in line again today for 2 hours to get my youngest the H1N1 shot. He turned 6 months 2 days ago and a flu clinic popped up today. I feel so much better taking him on our wish trip now that he has had at least one shot. I know they need 2, but I guess something is better than nothing.

 

[maroo]

Ok guys, I need some thoughts and ideas. Our MAW chapter contacted me yesterday and said that the company that sponsored Aidan's wish would like to have us for a lunch/party after we get back. It's the first time they have sponsored a wish and they are very excited. What would you do to show them your appreciation? Due to the holidays, I have 11 days after we get back before we are having our lunch with them. I am going to do my best to get our pictures back, but I feel like I should do more. They are a group of 62 employees that had to raise more than $6,000 to officially sponsor a wish. Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated!!!

Also, I stood in line again today for 2 hours to get my youngest the H1N1 shot. He turned 6 months 2 days ago and a flu clinic popped up today. I feel so much better taking him on our wish trip now that he has had at least one shot. I know they need 2, but I guess something is better than nothing.

Congrats on getting an H1N1 shot! That really should help them avoid the flu!

As for the other...
Honestly...

Showing up is going to be a huge thank you to them!

I would have your kids make as many pictures as you could for them. Maybe even keep a journal so that you can thank them specifically for X, Y or Z...

Hand drawn pictures are a BIG hit!

Or...
Have a simple plaque made (you can usually do this pretty cheap from an Awards store) that just says something simple...you would have to order this before you go.


"Thank you _____________ (business name) for making my wish come true!"

Then have it made so that a picture can be slipped into it. You won't have your PhotoPass back by then...but you could put a picture on it from your pictures that you take or even come back and put a picture in.

Or you could give the manager of the office your 12 favorite pictures and they can put a different pictures in the "frame" each month. Something easy where you can slip the picture in and out.

Just seeing the smile on your families face is going to be a real encouragement to them.


I would also prep your family by asking them questions like:

What was your favorite part of your trip?
Who is your favorite character?
Where did you stay in Disney World?

The things adults may ask the kids.
Because you may be surprised at the answer and can "suggest" a different answer or at least make sure they can think of a favorite thing...

I did this for Lauren when she was interviewed about her trip and she was stumped by the "What was your favorite part of the trip?" question...she was glad I prepped her.


I don't know what kind of company it is....if it is a store or somewhere that customers come in...I would definitely do an inexpensive plague.

You could even get something similar at a craft store for not too much money.

 

[StefaniLyn]

Ok guys, I need some thoughts and ideas. Our MAW chapter contacted me yesterday and said that the company that sponsored Aidan's wish would like to have us for a lunch/party after we get back. It's the first time they have sponsored a wish and they are very excited. What would you do to show them your appreciation? Due to the holidays, I have 11 days after we get back before we are having our lunch with them. I am going to do my best to get our pictures back, but I feel like I should do more. They are a group of 62 employees that had to raise more than $6,000 to officially sponsor a wish. Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated!!!

Also, I stood in line again today for 2 hours to get my youngest the H1N1 shot. He turned 6 months 2 days ago and a flu clinic popped up today. I feel so much better taking him on our wish trip now that he has had at least one shot. I know they need 2, but I guess something is better than nothing.

Woo Hoo on obtaining an H1N1 shot! There is a clinic schedule for Saturday in our town and I will be there with Bella!

What about making a laminated book mark for each employee? Have Aidan's picture on it and maybe a little poem or quotation about generosity, kindness, etc. And then at the bottom write "Thanks for making my Wish come true." and have Aidan sign it at the bottom if he is able to sign his name. Maybe even add a small Make A Wish logo at the bottom too. You would only need to make one and then have it photocopied at Kinkos onto cardstock. Then cut out and laminated.

If you want any help with this, I'd be happy to create it on my computer and email it to you. Just send me a PM.

A bookmark is relatively inexpensive, can be used by almost anyone, and then every single employee will have a little reminder of how they were a part of Aidan's wish.

 

[Soon2B4]

Thanks guys! Those are some great ideas. I knew my dis friends would give me great ideas.

I feel very lucky that we were able to get the vaccine. I took Aidan about 2 weeks ago and actually managed to find it again for the baby. Good luck when u go and my experience has been to get there at least an hour early. I don't know how big your town is, but we are in the Cleveland area. People are also driving over an hour to get it.

 

[yinyanggirls]

Maybe this would be too much to do during the trip itself, but just another idea....
What about keeping a "journal" where each day you can ask the kids what the fave part was, or "remember when..." and share a funny story or special moment. If you took one with you and wrote a thought or story every day of the trip, you'd have that done upon your return, then you could have them draw on some pages, add pics to others, and be done. I'm kinda liking the idea myself! Maybe I'll do one for our wish granter or chapter. Then again maybe we'll be too exhausted.

 

[Savannah's Mami]

I am new to this board and have already found so many tips helpful! Thanks everyone!!

 

[yinyanggirls]

I am new to this board and have already found so many tips helpful! Thanks everyone!!

Glad you found us! Make sure you add a link to your own thread so people can follow along.

 

[kdzbear]

I am new to this board and have already found so many tips helpful! Thanks everyone!!

Welcome! I hope you start a pre-trip report!

 

[pipersmom]

I am new to this board and have already found so many tips helpful! Thanks everyone!!

Welcome! I'm glad you found the board and look forward to reading your pre-trip

 

[pipersmom]

Okay, going to whine here 'cause I know you guys understand. I am tired! It always sets in about a week after we get home, just from doing the IVs til 12:30am and starting again at 5:30. Poor Piper asked for more water tonight at dinner..so I get up, go to the fridge, pop the top of the water jug, and realize I'm holding my half full coffee cup and not her water glass


We met with the wish granters tonight and it was great, I'll post about it tomorrow on our pre-trip, and put up the one picture I got before my camera crapped out on me..grr. Okay, done venting! Only 45 more min to stay awake

 

[chrissid7]

lol I can totally relate! Im so sorry you are so tier. Have you been given any indication of how much longer they want you to keep the meds going?

I just wrote you a novel on the my page lol but quick story (in relation to your coffee cup)

I was so tired this past weekend but I had planned this huge Halloween party (I did have help thank God) but it ws at my house. I have been trying to work more (Christmas coming) but the only conveinent time is when everyone is sleeping so I was sleep deprived.

I am trying to get food in and out of the oven and outside, I was talking to my sis and aunt inthe kitchen as I was loading kabobs off of a baking sheet and onto a plate so that more could go on the baking sheet. They stood there and watched me as I took all of the kabobs off of the sheet put them on a plate and then loaded them right back onto the sheet lmao! When I was looking around like who took the kabobs off of the plate they started laughing. They said they thought I had changed my mind midway (known for it). I knew I needed rest then!! I still havent got it but I know its coming teehehe now try to catch a nap!

 

[maroo]

I am new to this board and have already found so many tips helpful! Thanks everyone!!

to the DIS!!

Glad you posted and hope you will let us know if there is anything we can do to help you plan!

I will also be in Disney in December (15-20)! It is going to be a great trip!

 

[StefaniLyn]

I just posted about this on my PTR, but wanted to ask some advice from those of you on this thread who have already gone on your wish trips.

What did you do for your Wish party? Our Wish Granter wants our input for planning the party but I don't even know where to start. My one request was that the party would not be at our home. I just have too much going on this month to worry about cleaning for a party.

Did anyone have a party somewhere other than their home?
Who do you invite?
If we go somewhere, do guests we invite pay for themselves?
Did anyone get a gift for their Wish Granters? I'd like to, but have no idea what to give her!

Here is a link to a longer post about this on my PTR that has more details if you're interested. http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=34229911&postcount=275

 

[pipersmom]

lol I can totally relate! Im so sorry you are so tier. Have you been given any indication of how much longer they want you to keep the meds going?

She should be done with them on Wed, hooray! Then it will be a few nights of 9/10 pm bedtimes for me. Normally she would be going back to school and I could catch up during the day, but not happening this time!

I just wrote you a novel on the my page lol but quick story (in relation to your coffee cup)

I was so tired this past weekend but I had planned this huge Halloween party (I did have help thank God) but it ws at my house. I have been trying to work more (Christmas coming) but the only conveinent time is when everyone is sleeping so I was sleep deprived.

I am trying to get food in and out of the oven and outside, I was talking to my sis and aunt inthe kitchen as I was loading kabobs off of a baking sheet and onto a plate so that more could go on the baking sheet. They stood there and watched me as I took all of the kabobs off of the sheet put them on a plate and then loaded them right back onto the sheet lmao! When I was looking around like who took the kabobs off of the plate they started laughing. They said they thought I had changed my mind midway (known for it). I knew I needed rest then!! I still havent got it but I know its coming teehehe now try to catch a nap!

That sounds like something I would totally do! I'm also finding myself reversing words a lot, lol..ie "it's time for Piper, dinner". It's great that you can work from home. I do handwriting for a local company, but the assignments can be very sporadic.

 

[mommy_lisa]

I am new to this board and have already found so many tips helpful! Thanks everyone!!

Glad you found us. Another LF family too!!!

 

[pacrosby]

oh my

apparently I'm doing something wrong but I don't know what and don't know how to find out. I registered..........did my 10 posts and got the 'ok' so to speak to post.................started a new thread and wrote out a lengthy into and now I'm told it can't be processed. ???????? I'm going to cry LOL

I'm logged in. It says I 'can' start a new thread? Any ideas?????

 

[pacrosby]

ok.....so I still don't know what I did wrong initially but an abbreviated version of my initial intro post posted. I posted it in the 'pre-trip' area (so sorry my lingo is limited LOL) but I noticed it shows up in the general area not here in the 'wish trippers' area. Should I have done something differently or does it get moved by a moderator at some later date???? OH....I'm so confused! Gee, I don't even know if it's appropriate for me to be posting about my confusion on 'this' thread'.

Please help LOL

Pamela

 

[pipersmom]

laughing- Just noticed you'd already made it over here..doh! You're not doing anything wrong, all the pre-trips go on that thread. You're also more than welcome to do an intro here, ask questions, etc, I think most of us have done a brief intro here, and we also tend to follow everyone's pre-trips threads as well Again... !

 

[yinyanggirls]

Okay, so I've been dutifully reading the guide books, browsing every blog and TR I come across, and waiting (not-so) patiently for the Wish Granter to call me back about the dates. (She just emailed me an apology as she has H1N1. I guess I can forgive her!) In the meantime I have a list of questions growing in my head and I thought I'd unload some of them now.

Does GKTW offer any form of web access? I have not given in to the urge to have mobile web access yet and was wondering if it will be possible to check weather, hotels etc for the extension of our trip once we are there. Not to mention the possibility of a live TR.

Has anyone been to Busch Gardens in Tampa? It looks like it's mostly for big kids but they are adding a whole Sesame Street section next spring. We are extending our trip so time will not be an issue, but I'm wondering if the drive will be worth it? It's about 100 miles from GKTW.

The tickets that give you are 3 days at WDW, 2 at Univ, and 1 at SW. Right?
Can you separate the days? Or do they have to be consecutive?

Are the tickets transferable? Since SW and Univ have more than one location, could you use the tickets at another location at another time? Also, if we ended up not using a ticket, could we donate it to another wish family? If they are still giving out those tickets to the parks around the country, could we give those to someone else? I'm just thinking if there is a park in Minnesota, there's not a chance we'll get there within the year. I'm sure they cover this, and it's really not that important but I can't stop my brain from running over all of this stuff.

Do they have Wall-E anywhere in the Kingdom? Is Dorothy at Univ?

Oh, yeah, one more question. Where is the VIP lounge or whatever they call it, where you can rest if you need to? I wanted to put it on my map, and I'm guessing they don't show it on the normal park maps. (Yes, yes, I know they will tell me when I get there, but that's 6 months from now. How will I sleep at night, not knowing where it is????)