Wish kid Serafin at Black Bear Diner in Gilroy in 2019
Bear Hugs for Wish Kids
How did the founders and staff of Black Bear Diner, a restaurant chain known for it’s “bear-sized” portions and fun, bear-themed décor, raise more than a million dollars on behalf of Make-A-Wish? It all got started in a duck blind back in 2008.
George Sammut, a local Black Bear Diner franchise owner, first learned about the power of a wish through a close friend whose grandson Keenan was losing a battle with cancer. “It was heartbreaking to hear that things were not going well for him,” says Sammut. “It was so tough on his family and siblings.”
One bright spot during that time was Keenan’s wish trip to Disneyland. “The photos I saw from that trip, and the smile on his face made me a true believer in the work and efforts of the Make-A-Wish organization,” Sammut recalls. “It was a truly special time for Keenan and his whole family as he neared the end of his long battle.”
So, when he found himself sitting in what he describes as “a very cold duck blind” with Black Bear Diner co-founder Bob Manley, Sammut pitched him the idea of an organized company-wide campaign to fundraise for Make-A-Wish. “I thought raising funds together to help such a worthy cause and organization would be something truly special,” he says. Manley agreed, and gave Sammut the opportunity to present the idea at the upcoming Black Bear Diner Franchise Conference, where Sammut would need to get 100 percent buy in from all the owners.
The response was a unanimous, “Let’s do it!” United and energized, Black Bear Diner staff from all locations came together to craft a creative fundraiser—what would become the annual “Save Room for a Wish” campaign. When guests ordered a special limited-edition wish-inspired dessert, Black Bear Diner would donate $1 back to Make-A-Wish. Guests also had the option to donate for $1 or $5 wish stars.
“I knew the Black Bear Diner family would get behind it!” Sammut says of the campaign. “If there’s one thing about the Black Bear Diner family, our hearts will always be bigger than even our biggest serving.”
The first year, they set what seemed like an ambitious goal of raising $15,000 on behalf of wish kids and their families. Everyone was shocked when, at the end of the month, the total came in at more than $47,000—over triple their original goal! “It was truly a special feeling to celebrate all together such an unexpected accomplishment as a united team effort,” says Sammut.
Inspired, the team began to refine the event and set their sights on fundraising goals for the next year’s campaign. And then the next year, and the next. In 2013, they hit a new fundraising high of $202,000. “Before too long, we were looking at the actual possibility of hitting what we thought in the beginning was very unrealistic, the one-million-dollar mark,” recalls Sammut. “Then in 2016, it became a reality—an impossible dream come true in my mind personally.”
In addition to their amazing fundraising, Black Bear Diner owners and staff have opened their restaurants countless times over the years for local wish families. The diners have become a community hub for wish families—a fun, homey place for wish reveals, sendoff parties, and even celebratory family meals during wish trips.
Ivan celebrated the reveal of his wish to go to Oahu at the Black Bear Diner location in Hayward in 2018.
“The photos I receive from our staff members taken with the wish kids and their families are amazing!” says Sammut. “Yes, they truly do change the lives of all the people involved in their journeys. Meeting these special and brave children changes you in a profound way, and helps you truly see the value of their wish and those that help grant them.”
Another wish story that’s special to the Black Bear Diner community is that of Ruby, the daughter of a kitchen manager at the Gilroy location who also battled cancer and had her wish granted to go to Disneyland. To this day, a photo of Ruby and her family at Disneyland hangs in the entry area of the Gilroy Black Bear Diner.
Ruby herself is now cancer free, excelling in her education and heading to college. General Manager Marlene Ayala and her teams, inspired by Ruby’s story, have consistently raised more funds than any other diner. “It’s truly amazing how much her heart and commitment have brought forward to our events and campaigns,” Sammut says of Ayala.
Sammut says that it feels incredibly important to continue supporting Make-A-Wish, now more than ever. “I feel great knowing just a few more wishes will happen because of us,” Sammut says, “and that our customer base is still there to support us in the effort, as well as our staffs and team members. It has definitely brought us closer together along the way.”
What’s next on the horizon for this partnership? “The two-million-dollar mark is something I can really wrap my mind around, and embrace as a reality,” Sammut says. “Nothing is impossible!”
For Make-A-Wish partners who may just be getting started in their fundraising journeys, Sammut asks that they consider that at one point the Black Bear Diner team felt like raising $15,000 was a long shot. “And now look where we are today,” he says. “There are undoubtedly a lot of great causes out there, but we feel like we have our arms wrapped around a truly special one.”
Support Make-A-Wish and your local Black Bear Diner this December!
One dollar from each purchase of the Candy Cane Chocolate Cream Pie and Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake will benefit Make-A-Wish, and there is also an opportunity to donate $1 or $5 when placing your order for pickup or delivery.