Pat Celebrates 20 Years of Volunteering

Pat, from Cody is marking 2023 a milestone year, continuing to help make wishes come true for countless wish kids in Wyoming.

Pat started her volunteering journey back east and continued to volunteer with Make-A-Wish Wyoming when she relocated to Cody, Wyoming 20 years ago. A self-deemed “winter girl,” Pat spends her summers in Canada and winters granting wishes in Cody. Throughout the past 20 years, Pat has helped grant 2-3 wishes annually, each proving to be a different experience from the last.

“I have loved working with Make-A-Wish. I have such a big place in my heart for wish families. Being able to give them something to look forward to and something to remember has been so rewarding,” says Pat.

20 years is a long time to dedicate your time, attention, and love to something. For Pat, volunteering is an easy choice that’s been a joy and a blessing. To spend time with the families, meet the children, hear what their wishes are, put the wish together, throw a wish party, and see it all come together, is what makes her 20-year milestone so special.

“It’s an honor to be a part of a wish. My favorite part is being able to be a blessing for families who are experiencing a very hard time. Between doctors appointments and feeling sick, it can take some time for the wish to be granted, but when it does it is like magic.”

Throughout two decades, Pat has granted 19 wishes and counting. Some of the most memorable include wishes for a camper, trips to Disneyland, Disney World, Harry Potter World, swimming with dolphins in Hawaii, a wish to be a Cowboy, for a laptop with a 3D printer, a buddy bike and too many more to count. She recalls one wish though that deeply impacted her life.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pat was the volunteer assisting on Silas’ wish to have a camper. Silas, who was experiencing an inoperable brain tumor during the pandemic combined with a poor immune system, meant they were unable to throw a wish party for him. As a very sociable and outgoing kid, it was hard for Pat to see Silas not get to celebrate his wish being granted with friends and loved ones. However, she remembered that he loved muscle cars, so she got creative…

Pat knew someone who had a corvette and a few other muscle cars. Along with the Cody Country Car Show, she began to coordinate a small surprise parade of muscle cars, in lieu of a wish party, to pass by Silas’ home. It wasn’t long before word got out about the parade and from there it snowballed. The Cody community pulled together and what started as a few muscle cars turned into dozens of muscle cars, rodeo queens, people on horseback, trucks, tractor trailers, tankers, and loads of walkers all parading down Silas’ Street, holding large signs, saying hello, and sending their best wishes.

An hour before the parade a dark storm clouds started creeping over the mountains, but the clouds switched directions just in time for the parade. Silas’ parade lasted over an hour. The media showed up and Pat even had a live musician there playing a song he wrote just for Silas.

“It was unbelievable, miraculous and so emotional. This was the most amazing wish that brought the community together to celebrate Silas.”

Pat is currently partnering with other volunteers to help grant six wishes in the Cody area. Though the COVID-19 pandemic presented some challenges, helping to continue grant wishes has always been Pat’s goal, one she’ll continue for as long as possible. For those thinking about volunteering, Pat has this to say:

“Baby, go for it. If you’re sensitive to people and care about families, volunteering is so rewarding.”

If you’re ready to help make a difference in a Wyoming wish kid’s life, you can be a volunteer today and start building your own legacy of creating magic. Learn more about volunteering.