Volunteer Spotlight: Laurie H.
What ways are you involved as a volunteer?
I’m a wish granter, an airport meet & greeter and a member of the Make-A-Wish Speaker’s Bureau.
How did you first find Make-A-Wish?
I had a family member who had a wish granted years ago & their story has always stuck with me. More about that later…
How long have you been volunteering with Make-A-Wish Minnesota?
Three years.
What has been the most rewarding experience of volunteering with Make-A-Wish MN?
Seeing the joy of a wish being granted. I had the thrill of watching one of my wish kids open her envelope containing gift cards for a virtual shopping trip. She was literally jumping up and down when she realized what it was. Her mom said she’s been struggling and that she hasn’t seen her daughter that happy in ages!
What advice would you give to new volunteers?
Don’t be afraid to try different roles. Know that if you are working full-time, you can volunteer flexibly around it. This is a super rewarding, but not high-pressure volunteer experience.
What story would you share to inspire others to become a volunteer with Make-A-Wish?
This is the story of why I got involved with Make-A-Wish: I have a cousin who received a wish 19 years ago. When David was 9 years-old he was diagnosed with bone cancer in his leg. After a year of treatments, he was visited by Make-A-Wish volunteers at his hospital. They chatted with him and told my aunt and uncle that the family was going to Alaska! (Our process is a little different now - but go with it). When David was healthy enough to travel, he, his mom and dad and his older brother went to Alaska. On day 2 of their trip, David fell and broke the leg he had cancer in. He was airlifted to a hospital in Anchorage and eventually sent back to his home hospital in Tampa, FL. They were heart-broken. David felt guilty and devastated about having to call the Make-A-Wish people who had been so nice to them. But their Make-A-Wish contact said, “oh young man, you’ve not experienced your wish! When you are healthy again you are going back to Alaska”. And that’s just what happened! At their house in Tampa there are photos everywhere of this life-changing trip from 19 years ago. David is now happy, healthy and cancer-free at age 28! What has stayed with me all these years is the confidence that Make-A-Wish is not just “ticking a box” when granting wishes. They go the extra mile to ensure that the wish is fully delivered.