“After all the trials the family had been through, a wish is a time the family could enjoy together and bond more closely and kind of forget what happened,” she said.

Pamela found herself in the unique position to give back to the organization that had done so much for her friend’s family during the unknowns of illness. As Worthy Grand Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star, it was up to Pamela to choose a philanthropic organization for the chapter to support—and she knew Make-A-Wish Alaska and Washington was the perfect choice.

The Order of the Eastern Star was established out of the Masonic family. This branch allows both men and women to serve together, and has a strong focus on philanthropy. 

“It’s an extension of my true family. We all support each other and rally around each other,” Pamela said.

Through the course of her service as Worthy Grand Matron, Pamela saw how the wish experience played a key role in lives of her friend’s family. “We could really rejoice in her recovery and how much it meant to the family to just get away from the hospital and celebrate that she was doing well.”

Although COVID-19 has halted a lot of things, it didn’t stop the Order of the Eastern Star members from doing what they love most: philanthropic work. Pamela said they got very creative to fundraise for the causes nearest and dearest to their hearts, in a time when their regular in-person events weren’t possible.