'Make-A-Wish' grants local boy's dream
By LYNNELLEN WINKLER, Community editor
POSTED: August 17, 2008
Article Photos
at Dee-Jayás Restaurant with members of Make-A-Wish of Northern West
Virginia to hold a âSend-Off Party.ã Austin, diagnosed with Multiple
Sclerosis last month, was having his wish of a family trip to Disney
World granted by the organization and the party was held in his honor.
Kendel Rutherford, a wish granter for Brooke and Hancock Counties,
was on-hand busy greeting guests and organizing seating for the
Wolverton Family. âOur community is so generous to Make-A-Wish and we
in turn are so appreciative for their overwhelming support of our
organizations and its programs.ã
Dewey Guida, owner of Dee-Jayás Restaurant, has hosted several âSend-
Offã parties for Make-A-Wish children and their families. His
representative, Ron Hammel, made sure everything was in order and
worked with Rutherford to ensure that the party was perfect for Austin.
âWe are really thankful to Make-A-Wish,ã said Jackie Wolverton,
Austinás mother. âWith all of the recent news, they bring joy and
happiness without doctors and hospitals just fun for our family to
share. We will be forever grateful.ã The Wolvertons, including
father, Dan and siblings, Selena, 12 and Xavier, 8, will depart for
Disney World on Saturday.
Austin will begin a rigorous treatment regimen when he and his family
return from their trip of a lifetime. Currently he is taking the MS
drug Wonex and responding.
Making wishes come true for area children with life-threatening
illnesses between the ages of 2 and a half and 18 is the purpose of
the Make-A-Wish of Northern West Virginia. The organization provides
grantees and their families a moment of happiness and a lifetime of
memories.
Wish granter Mary Ann Atwell spoke of the organization with thanks,
âThe Make-A-Wish Foundation is truly one of the most wonderful
organizations for children. It relies primarily on donations and
results of their fundraising events. That is why we, the volunteers,
are so grateful to people like Dewey who never says âNoã to us.
Without him, and so many other generous business owners, as well as
private citizens, none of this good work would be possible. Kendel
and I just want to thank everyone in our community for their on-going
generosity to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northern West Virginia.ã
Austin is 13-years-old and an eighth grade student at Weir Middle
School. âI canát wait to meet Mickey Mouse; heás by best friend! I
think going to Disney is really cool. I thought long and hard about
my wish and this (a family trip to Disney World) is what I came up
with. And, I heard they have some pretty good roller coasters.ã
Austin shared that his favorite subject in school is lunch and likes
school because, âI get to hang out with my friends.ã
âI think that Make-A-Wish is pretty cool how they grant wishes to
sick kids,ã said Austin.
Hammel said in closing, âOn behalf of Dee-Jayás Restaurant, it is an
honor and a privilege to host such a charitable event. Weáre happy to
provide Austin and his family an appropriate àsend-offá to Disney
World.ã
âMaking Wishes Come True in Hancock and Brooke Countiesã is the theme
of the organizationás upcoming gala set for Saturday, Nov. 22 at
Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort. Tickets will be on sale soon.
The gala is one of Make-A-Wishás biggest fundraisers of the year and
monies raised make it possible for the organization to grant wishes
such as Austinás.
Event sponsorships at a variety of levels of participation are
available, as well as donations of goods or services for the auction
that is a huge part of the gala.
This year the Make-A-Wish committee is selling âStarsã for $1 each as
part of their fundraising campaign. Businesses can obtain stars from
committee members, sell them, then post them displaying the Make-A-
Wish purpose.
(Winkler can be contacted at lwinkler@weirtondailytimes.com.)
