It all started in 1980 with Chris, a seven-year-old boy with leukemia. His dream was to be a police officer, so family friends and members of the community pulled together to make his dream come true. He received a custom-made officer’s uniform and hat, earned motorcycle officer’s wings, rode in a helicopter, but shortly thereafter, Chris passed. As the story of Chris’ wish spread, it inspired a group of officers, friends, and family to start an organization. Later that year, Make-A-Wish was formed.
Here’s a video that describes Chris’ story more in depth:
Today, Make-A-Wish’s vision is as strong as it was over 30 years ago, and this vision is fueled by the belief that granting wishes of severely ill children fills them with joy and helps them to feel like a normal kid again. But granting wishes is so much more than just making a child happy—the impact of a fulfilled wish has a far-reaching impact! Such positive experiences help kids feel stronger, enabling them to fight their illnesses and face certain medical treatments.
In 2014 alone, Make-A-Wish granted 14,000 wishes, which averages out to one every 38 minutes! While that is certainly a lot of wishes, this covers only about half of all eligible children. Make-A-Wish wants to be able to grant a wish to every eligible child.
Volunteer at Your Local Chapter
As you can imagine, it takes a lot of help to grant wishes to so many children, which is why volunteers and donors are so instrumental in carrying out Make-A-Wish’s mission. If you’re interested in volunteering, consider this: Volunteering takes on many different roles and tasks, so use your strengths and talents to find a volunteering project that suits you. The easiest way to find volunteer opportunities is to check out your local chapter’s website. You can search for a chapter here.
Give in a Variety of Ways
Like volunteering, there are many options when it comes to donating. Giving monetarily is what most of us think of when we hear “donate,” but did you know you can also donate airline miles or stock in addition to making tax-deductible donations? Explore all the other ways to give on the Make-A-Wish website.
You can also order holiday cards to benefit children in a specific region.
Read More Inspirational Stories
If you’re like me and want to read even more stories that tug on your heart strings, here are a few that I especially enjoyed:
I’ve got a soft spot for swirly typefaces, so, naturally, I love this “Be Merry” door decal. It looks so friendly and welcoming, so it would be a perfect addition to anyone’s front door! Don’t want it on your door? No problem— place it on a wall or window, if you like. As this item is made-to-order, you can choose from 25 colors so you can get the right color to match your home.
Each country has their own special holiday traditions, and England is certainly no exception. While some of their customs—such as sending Christmas cards and decorating the tree—are practiced in other countries, some are decidedly British. To learn more about mince pies, Christmas crackers, and Boxing Day, check out the infographic below!
Click on the image for a closer look! Infographic via Londontopia.net
Throughout the year, I gather pinecones so I can decorate my home with them during the holidays. If you like woody cones as I do, but don’t have the space to hoard basketfuls of them, you’ll enjoy this Pinecones Field Guide Print. Featuring fifteen different varieties found in North America, the cones are laid out on a crisp white background, which gives me the feeling that I’m looking at these pinecones in a bed of snow! This would be a lovely gift for any of your nature-loving friends.
If you’re looking for a ridiculously fun Christmas activity for the family, why not support a charity at the same time? The Ugly Sweater Run is being held in 18 cities across the nation, and it raises funds and awareness for Save the Children. This year, Save the Children is asking people to make the world better with a sweater. What better way to do that than to don your ugliest, merriest, or wooliest Christmas sweater in a 5K?
On race day, participants will enjoy an array of festivities along the 5K route: a giant inflatable Santa, refreshment stations where you can gulp down hot cocoa (you gotta keep your stamina up, right?), snow machines, and tons of other folks walking alongside you. Perhaps you’ll make a new friend and boldly belt out Christmas songs together! 😉 Oh, and how could I not mention that awesome knit hat? It’s included in your registration, and the only way to get one is by participating in this run.
Who can come to the run?
The Ugly Sweater Run welcomes participants of all ages! Kids under 5 years are free to attend, but if they want a hat, you’ll need to add it onto your registration. Parents are welcome to bring strollers to push their mini-me’s through the race. Decorated strollers are a plus! Even your furry, four-legged children are welcome to attend the race. (Double-check that the venue in your city allows it.)
Do I have to run?
Haha—no! You can walk, jog, run, skip, or jump your way through the course. Just be mindful of everyone’s safety. After you get through the course, stick around because they’ll give out prizes for the best mustache, best beard, and ugliest sweater.
How can I register?
A few runs are being held this weekend, and the rest will happen later this month. (So sorry to the folks in Pittsburgh, Seattle, and the Twin Cities, but your dates have already passed!) Click on your city below to register. You can register in person at the event, but only if the race hasn’t sold out, so go ahead and sign up online to reserve your spot in the merriest 5K of the season!
Unable to attend The Ugly Sweater Run? You can still make a difference in children’s lives by simply donating to Save the Children online. If you’re aching for a festive experience you can celebrate National Ugly Sweater Day on December 18th. Get your coworkers to wear their ugly Christmas sweaters to the office that day and encourage folks to make a small donation to Save the Children.
