Level Up! Make-A-Wish Honors Retired Gaming Exec & Former Trustee
Bonnie Ross
Middle School and High School lunchrooms are tough places for most kids. But they can be even more anxiety-inducing for children with disabilities. Bonnie Ross remembers well the moment she realized this.
In 7th grade, her middle school was integrating disabled students into the general student population. “When the kids first came in, no one wanted anything to do with them,” she recalled. “No one wanted to sit with them, and everyone was getting up and leaving.”
To change that, Bonnie and a few others were selected to be student ambassadors, providing a helping hand and offering friendship to these students to ease the transition. It worked!
“By the end of the year, it was amazing to see that many of these students went on to win Halloween contests and win Prom King and Queen,” she said. “It was really eye-opening to see that it just takes a little bit of kindness to make it so that everyone shares in that and moves it forward.”
That profound lesson in empathy planted a seed in Bonnie’s heart and Make-A-Wish Alaska and Washington has been fortunate to reap the reward of that bloom for more than a decade.
Bonnie first became involved with Make-A-Wish through her former role as the head of 343 Industries, a prominent video game development company that has granted nearly 30 wishes.
Wishes for electronics or video games are a popular wish category and it’s not lost on Bonnie as to why. Time and time again, she heard parents say that “playing video games when their kid was sick was the only thing that made their kid feel normal during that time.”
Hearing that from the parents was incredibly rewarding. According to Bonnie, on a scale of one to ten, the joy that the 343 staff get from hosting wish families is off the charts! In fact, many say it’s equal to the feeling they get when they put the finishing touches on a game that takes 3-4 years to produce.
That impact manifested under Bonnie’s leadership as the entire organization got involved in not only wish granting but also fundraising. From pie-in-the-face competitions to employee giving campaigns, 343 Industries has helped to raise six figures for our local chapter.
Anything for Make-A-Wish! That included a 343 Industries' fundraiser in which company leadership took a pie-in-the-face from anyone on staff for a donation to Make-A-Wish.
Bonnie's support as the 2018 Wish Night co-chair helped make the event a monumental success.
“Bonnie is an incredible champion of our mission and helped to broaden the scope of 343’s impact on our program by not only granting wishes but also adding fundraising support,” said Melissa Arias, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Alaska and Washington. “By making wish granting a corporate priority she introduced the mission to the entire 343 team in a way that engaged and inspired them. That translated into an incredible culture of philanthropy that is rare. As a former member of the Corporate Council and serving six years on our Board, Bonnie has left an indelible mark on our chapter. We will be forever grateful!”
[Wishes] give kids hope to thrive
Bonnie Ross
Having been involved in granting so many wishes given her tenure with both Make-A-Wish and at 343 Industries, each and every one fills her heart and has taught her something. One of the biggest lessons is the impact of wishes. “They give kids hope to thrive,” she said. That point is key as Make-A-Wish continues to battle the misconception that children need to be terminal to qualify for a wish. In fact, children need to have a critical illness diagnosis to be eligible for a wish.
Among the other lessons learned: the impact of a wish is far-reaching and extends beyond the child and the family. “When a call comes in from Make-A-Wish, people clamor to get involved because you just want to be part of changing someone’s life,” she said.
Bonnie has had the distinct honor of changing many lives and to this day, stays in touch with many of the wish kids who are now in adulthood!
“It’s such an impactful experience to hear from some of these kids 10 years after their wish and know how wishes keep giving in their lives. I wish everyone could experience being part of a wish, you’d have unlimited funds because it’s just such an impactful organization.”