Our Year In Wishes

Don’t wait for hope. Create it.

I wish to have a playset and sandbox

Ezekiel, 5 brain tumor

Photography

2022 FISCAL YEAR

Photo Credit: Lacie Jai Reed

Ways You Can Help

OUR MISSION

Connect with us

You’ll be inspired by our wish kids and informed of upcoming events and activities!

/makeawishsouthdakotamontana

Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana

Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana

@makeawish_sdmt

Staff

Sue Salter, CFRE, President and CEO

Amy Bruns, CFRE, FCEP, Chief Development Officer

Joe Evenson, Chief Program Officer

Kerry Pollema, CVA, Chief Operating Officer

Alissa Blank, Medical Outreach and Intake Manager

Melissa Jenkins, Wish Coordinator

Katie Merrill, Wish Manager

Kaylee Osentowski, Data and Operations Specialist

Tanna Soukup, Marketing Manager

Home Office

1400 West 17th Street Sioux Falls, SD 57104

Website: wish.org/sdmt

Email: info@sdmt.wish.org

Phone: 605.335.8000

Toll-free: 800.640.9198

Fax: 605.335.8002

Printing: Sisson Printing

Design: MJM, mattjensenmarketing.com

Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Steven Morgans Chair, Board of Directors

Sue Salter, CFRE President and CEO

HOPE BEGINS WITH US. Each and every one of us has the power to be a light of hope for a child as they battle a critical illness, bringing transformation and joy to the child and their family when they need it most. Wishes increase hope, strength, joy, confidence, self-esteem, quality of life and well-being.

Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana is celebrating the 81 life-changing wishes you made possible in fiscal year 2022. Each of these wishes is as unique as the child who made it. Wishes empower kids to take back control in their lives and to be the architect of a journey that begins with a referral from a caring individual. From shopping sprees to room makeovers, hot tubs to train rides through Alaska and so much more, wishes give children a better chance of recovering from their critical illness.

A wish is not simply a fleeting gift, but

a carefully planned journey that doesn’t end once granted. Wishes are everlasting. When a child receives a wish, they can build the strength they need to fight their critical illness. They replace fear with confidence, sadness with joy, and anxiety with hope

Wishes give children renewed energy and strength, they bring families closer together and they unite entire communities. W hen you help grant a wish by donating dollars or airline miles, volunteering, hosting an event or making a referral, you immediately launch a child and their f amily onto a journey filled with exciting possibilities—and a chance to replace feelings of trauma with hope for tomorrow.

Our Make-A-Wish chapter is deeply blessed by the best supporters of wishes on the planet. We are all a family, and we grieve our losses together. We were

deeply saddened by the sudden loss of our dear friend, event organizer and faithful supporter, Roxie Johnson. Roxie lived in Sioux Falls, SD and started the “Angels with a Dream” car show with her good friend Lucy Welbig at Great Bear Recreational Park to honor her late husband Bill’s memory.

Since the event started in 2012, they never missed a year, even during the pandemic, raising more than $170,000 for our chapter and adopting the wishes of 16 kids to-date. Every wish they adopted was important to them, and they made an effort to meet each wish child and their family, inviting them to their events and staying in touch. Our hearts go out to Roxie and her family and friends, especially to her sons, her parents, siblings and her granddaughter. Roxie’s beautiful memory will live on at our chapter, and in all the lives she so kindly touched.

Wishing you peace, hope and joy in the year ahead,

Steve & Sue

“Roxie embodied the spirit of Make-A-Wish. From the day I met her, I knew she and co-organizer Lucy Welbig would do whatever it takes to create a successful Angels with a Dream event. Roxie’s passion, dedication, and commitment to helping grant wishes was contagious. We are all better people and Make-A-Wish is better, for having known Roxie.”

Paul Krueger

CEO and

Former

incoming board member

Roxie Johnson 1971 - 2022

Wish Perspectives

Poppy steps into one of her favorite stories.

Life has not been easy for Poppy from the very start. When her mom was only 28 weeks pregnant, doctors told her that Poppy would be born with a heart condition. Initially, her parents were devastated, and they worried that the dreams they had for their little girl were going to be crushed. At 2 ½ months old, Poppy had a heart transplant; following that, she struggled with brain bleeds, strokes, epilepsy, cerebral palsy and more. Over the next 9 years, she and her family would spend countless hours traveling to hospitals and staying near them in order to keep Poppy alive. Her parents focused on their faith and keeping their family together through the hardships. Poppy’s siblings quickly learned how to care for her and understand her special needs as well as her parents did.

Because of her health condition, Poppy is unable to talk or walk, but she understands everything that is said aloud.

She is an absolute delight to those around her and loves to tease and make people laugh. One of Poppy’s favorite possessions is her action Bible. Her parents buy her a new one almost monthly because it gets worn with all the use. Her favorite story in the Bible is Noah’s Ark and she loves

Bible story in real life. Her family was in awe that they were going to go on vacation—something they hadn’t done since Poppy was born. It brought tears to their eyes and to their children’s eyes.

the idea of being saved. Poppy also loves animals and dinosaurs.

When Poppy qualified for a wish through Make-A-Wish, the answer was clear: Poppy wished to visit the Ark Encounter in Kentucky where she could see her favorite

As the trip got nearer, Poppy’s parents couldn’t help but worry that something would go wrong, or their trip would get canceled. It was hard for them to believe that someone else was planning every single detail of their trip for them and paying the expenses! The Make-A-Wish team and volunteers helped keep their mind at ease and helped them to enjoy the carefree time they spent with their precious family.

Poppy was ecstatic when she visited the Ark Encounter; the animals and life-size Noah’s ark were beyond her wildest dreams. She couldn’t get enough! Her wish

Addie’s wish to have a unicorn party

6-year-old Addie is a girly girl who loves makeup, dolls and her animals. She also loves to paint, make crafts and play outside. She is very similar to children her age, except for a critical illness that has changed both her life and her family’s life.

Though leukemia turned her world upside-down in some of the worst ways, there is something that kept her going through it all. During one of her treatments, Addie’s oncologist told her mom about Make-A-Wish and ultimately made the referral for her to

have her wish granted. After meeting with her volunteers and talking to her family, Addie decided that she wanted to meet and ride a real unicorn and that she wanted to make a party of it!

Addie’s wish went above and beyond her expectations. She was outfitted with a unicorn princess dress and pulled up to her party in a pink limousine. She was greeted by all her closest family and friends as the limo driver held out his hand to help her out of the car, just like a real princess. There was a bounce house, face painter, snow cones, mini donuts, a food truck and unicorn cake. She was greeted by beautiful princesses and to her astonishment, there was a real unicorn at her party! A white horse with painted and braided hair wearing a unicorn horn stood in the background, ready to give rides to her and her friends. Her

Poppy wished to visit the Ark Encounter in Kentucky where she could see her favorite Bible story in real life.

was allowing her to see a real-life version of her favorite story. After spending one full day at the Ark Encounter, she indicated that she wanted to go back and see it again for the next two days of their trip, so after zoo and aquarium visits, the family went back to visit the Ark Encounter where the staff were so kind and accepting of Poppy.

Poppy and her family still look back at photos and reminisce on their once-in-a-lifetime trip. The experience was something that they didn’t think they could give to Poppy, and with Make-A-Wish’s help, they were able to. Not only was the trip life-changing for Poppy, but it also drew her family even closer together, fueling them to continue to give Poppy the best care they possibly can and show each other love and grace through the hard times.

In Poppy’s dad’s words: “MAKE-A-WISH IS AWESOME!”

wish had come true!

After a fun-filled day with family and friends, Addie, her family and close friends were whisked away in the pink limo and taken to a hotel where another unicorn was waiting for her! She fed her new unicorn friend and took photos with it before saying goodbye. Then, she and her friends spent the rest of the day swimming at the Mitchell Outdoor Aquatic Center and spent the night at the Comfort Inn & Suites.

Addie’s wish day was very emotional for her parents. Wish mom Sara said, “Addie’s wish gave us hope. It’s a day where we didn’t think about her being sick.”

I wish

Addie, 6 leukemia

I wish to go to the Ark Encounter Poppy, 9 heart condition

to have a unicorn party

Photo: Linda Mac Photo

Poppy enjoys the Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky with her family.

Wishes

Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

IN THE PAGES that follow, you’ll see strength, hope and transformation written on the faces of these wish kids as they have their life-changing wish come true.

We celebrate the following wishes granted from September 2021 to August 2022.

I wish to have a shopping spree Samantha, 16 gastrointestinal disorder

I wish to go to Walt Disney World® Marren, 16 lymphoma

I wish to go to Los Angeles James, 14 lymphoma

I wish to have a backyard playground

Nehemiah, 17 nervous system disorder

I wish to have a camper

Dustin, 4 cancer

I wish to have a walk-in shower

Breckin, 9 nervous system disorder

I wish to have an electronics shopping spree

Kaily, 15 brain tumor

I wish to have a camper

Braxton, 3 congenital heart disease

Photo: Karen Vogel Photography

Photo: Carrie Kuhl and Taylor Livingston (UpFrame Creative)

I wish to ride a train in Alaska

Henry, 10 lymphoma

I wish to go on a shopping spree

Carson, 11 nervous system disorder

I wish to swim with dolphins at Discovery Cove® Rowan, 8 genetic disorder

I wish to have a gaming shopping spree

Clifford, 6 autoimmune disorder

Photo: Claire Ramey Photo Co.

Photo: KCV Photography

I wish to have a PREMIER Center VIP experience

Collin, 17 cancer

I wish to go to Walt Disney World®

Akiruah, 5 leukemia

I wish to have a planetarium

Clay, 14 leukemia

I wish to go to Walt Disney World®

Halle, 7 blood disorder

Photo: Ally Wurts Photography LLP

Ella,

I wish to go to Hawaii

Felix, 10 brain tumor

I wish to go to Hawaii with my family

Maverick, 16 inflammatory disorder

I wish to have a saltwater hot tub

Maddix, 8 nervous system disorder

I wish to have a camper

15 lymphoma

Photo: Ally Wurts Photography LLP

Photo: Trisha Gates

I wish to go to Washington, D.C. Kylie, 17 huntington’s disease

I wish to have a unicorn party Adaline, 6 leukemia

I wish to go to Universal Studio’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter Quincy, 5 respiratory disorder

I wish to have a golf cart Zane, 14 leukemia

Photo: Linda Mac Photo

I wish to have a set of Lovesacs®

Kenzan, 5 cancer

I wish to have a playset

Joanna, 4 brain tumor

I wish to meet a celebrity

Jaxen, 7 metabolic disorder

I wish to have a playground

Paisley, 6 brain tumor

I wish to have a camper

Neilys, 15 nervous system disorder

I wish to go to San Diego

Ryan, 4 heart condition

Photo: Linda Mac Photo

I wish to have a camper Rydder, 9 autoimmune disorder

I wish to go to New York City

Kinley, 14 gastrointestinal disorder

I wish to go to Hawaii Jordyn lymphoma

I wish to have a camper

Hao Hao, 9 congenital heart disease

Photo: Marianne Wiest Photography

Photo: Trisha Gates

I wish to have a switch hitter

Alex, 5 genetic disorder

I wish to have a gaming setup

Jakoby, 13 cancer

I wish to have a personal water craft

Alexander leukemia

I wish to have a shopping spree

Hunter, 15 skin cancer

Photo: Katie Merrill Photography

Photo: Tom Plooster, Plooster Photography

Photo: Always & Forever Photography

I wish to have a hot tub

Micah, 8 nervous system disorder

I wish to go to Walt Disney World®

Daizee, 7 leukemia

I wish to have a shopping spree

Bradley, 8 metabolic disorder

I wish to go to Hawaii

Jaeger, 10 leukemia

Photo: Bethany Melvine Photography

I wish to have a room makeover

Kelsey, 18 end-stage kidney disease

I wish to have a playset with a sandbox

Ezekiel, 5 brain tumor

I wish to have a camper

Ayden, 11 congenital heart disease

I wish to have a Nintendo Switch

Owen, 6 congenital heart disease

I wish to go to Universal Studio’s Jurassic Park

Gavin, 5 cancer

I wish to go to Hawaii

Tyler, 16 lymphoma

Photo: Lacie Jai Reed Photography

I wish to meet Louis Tomlinson and go to his concert

Peytan, 16 cystic fibrosis

I wish to go to Walt Disney World®

Jordyn nervous system disorder

I wish to have a camper

Barrett, 7 liver transplant

I wish to have diving gear and certifications

Declan gastrointestinal disorder

Photo: Anna Mira Photography

I wish to go to the Ark Encounter Poppy, 9 heart condition

I wish to go to Walt Disney World® Creighton, 7 respiratory disorder

I wish to have adaptive equipment at my local park

Hollis, 5 nervous system disorder

I wish to have a mega gaming room

Joseph, 10 congenital heart disease

Photo: Katie Merrill Photography

I wish to go to Alaska to fish

I wish to go to Walt

I wish to go to Walt

I wish to meet Unspeakable (YouTuber)

Stohn, 7 brain

Disney World®

Chol, 12 kidney transplant

tumor

Disney World®

Aubree, 10 heart disease

Wyatt, 11 kidney transplant

Elijah, 6 leukemia

I wish to go on a Mall of America Shopping Spree

Cody, 15 nervous system disorder

I wish to have an electronics shopping spree

Kyler, 15 cancer

I wish to have a playhouse

Clara, 4 congenital heart disease

I wish to have a camper

Photo: Katie Merrill Photography

Photo: Linda Mac Photo

I wish to go to Universal Studio’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Sophia, 15 leukemia

I with to meet Markiplier

(YouTuber)

Ana, 15 end stage kidney disease

I wish to go to San Diego Ruthie, 4 leukemia

I wish to go to Walt Disney World® to meet Kylo Ren Hunter, 9 genetic disorder

I wish to have a horse

Shania kidney disease

I wish to go to Hawaii

Brooke, 16 cystic fibrosis

I wish to go to Hawaii

Hailee, 16 cystic fibrosis

I wish to have a Rainbow playset

Cody, 3 liver transplant

I wish to go to Hawaii

Tryg, 11 gastrointestinal disorder

Photo: Elisa Sand

I wish to have a couple of Scottish Highland cows

Sadie, 18 end-stage kidney disease

I wish to have a playset

Uriah, 3 leukemia

Wish Assists

I wish to go to a dude ranch

Andrea, 16

Make-A-Wish Orange County & the Inland Empire

I wish to go to Reptile Gardens

Asher, 12

Make-A-Wish Illinois

I wish to go on a dinosaur dig

Audrey, 10

Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley

I wish to go on a dinosaur dig

Dakota

Make-A-Wish Utah

I wish to go on a dinosaur dig

Ethan, 8

Make-A-Wish Minnesota

I wish to have a game room

Pate, 7 lymphoma

From time to time, we assist other chapters in granting wishes. The home chapter reimburses us for all expenses.

I wish to go to a dude ranch

Ethan, 13

Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana

I wish to meet a celebrity

Hannah, 17

Make-A-Wish Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia

I wish to go to Montana and fly fish

Ian, 18

Make-A-Wish Central & Western North Carolina

I wish to go to Mount Rushmore

Jay, 14

Make-A-Wish Idaho

I wish to go to a dude ranch

Keyara, 17

Make-A-Wish Connecticut

I wish to go to Glacier National Park

Madelyn

Make-A-Wish Georgia

I wish to go to Mount Rushmore

Meredith, 11

Make-A-Wish Eastern North Carolina

I wish to go on a shopping spree

Tayler, 16

Make-A-Wish Wyoming

Photo: Anna Mira Photography

22nd Annual Make-A-Wish® Golf Tournament and Evening of Inspiration

Thank you to everyone who participated in our 22nd Annual Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana Golf Tournament at the Minnehaha Country Club in Sioux Falls, SD! The event saw 25 golf teams who enjoyed beautiful summer weather and friendly competition. We hosted an Evening of Inspiration program and auction, featuring a variety of donated items from community businesses and individuals. Thanks to the generous support of many, this event raised just over $200,000 to grant wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Congratulations to the winning teams!

Wish Flight

1st place: Furniture Mart

2nd place: Sioux Falls Specialty Hospital

Hope Flight

1st place: Sioux Falls Ford Lincoln

2nd place: POET

Thank

Kids For Wish Kids is a program managed by kids, for kids.

Inspiring kids to have an impact in their community, the Kids For Wish Kids program engages students, schools and youth organizations in philanthropy and service activities in partnership with Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana. The program encourages community service, leadership, volunteerism and teamwork. It builds team spirit and gives students hands-on experience fundraising to help create life-changing wishes for kids fighting critical illnesses.

PLANNED GIVING

Change the lives of the kids we serve for generations to come.

You have the power to make wishes come true well beyond your lifetime. By including a gift to Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana in your estate plan, you help ensure that we continue to give hope, strength and joy to future generations of children with critical illnesses. This type of gift, called a planned gift, can be left through a bequest, beneficiary designation of a retirement plan or life insurance policy, a trust, or other means. A planned gift ensures your legacy lives on through wishes—enhancing the lives of children with critical illnesses for generations to come.

Have you already included Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana in your estate plan? If so, please let us know so that we may thank and honor this commitment during your lifetime.

To learn more about how to leave a legacy of hope, please contact Amy Bruns, Chief Development Officer at abruns@sdmt.wish.org or by calling 605.335.8000

Wish sister Kennedy set up a lemonade stand to help grant wishes for kids like her brother.

Congratulations to the following volunteers on being recognized through the Helpline Center:

VOLUNTEERS OF THE MONTH

Make-A-Wish

South Dakota & Montana would like to thank our over 260 volunteers who support our chapter.

For information about volunteering, contact Kerry Pollema at 605.335.8000, toll-free at 800.640.9198 or at kpollema@sdmt.wish.org.

PAUL AND CARLY LOGAN SIOUX FALLS, SD

MIKE TURNWALL JR. BROOKINGS, SD

CHERYL MCGUIRE SIOUX FALLS, SD

2022 HELPLINE SPIRIT OF VOLUNTEERISM HONOREES

CINDY MCDOW BLACK HILLS, SD

Thank

to our Board of Directors!

Chris Halverson Secretary Bridgeford Trust, Sioux Falls, SD

Steven Morgans Chair Myers Billion, LLP, Sioux Falls, SD

James Blystone Board Member Glacier Restaurant Group, Whitefish, MT

Paul Goldammer Board Member Potbelly Sandwich Shop and Crisp & Green Franchise Owner, Sioux Falls, SD

Dr. Aaron Audet Medical Advisor Family Medicine Doctor, Billings Clinic, Billings, MT

Rae Morlan First Vice-Chair First PREMIER Bank, Sioux Falls, SD

Jessica Aguilar Board Member Sanford Health, Sioux Falls, SD

Brad Derby Board Member Brad Derby Agency, Inc., Rapid City, SD

Dr. Kimberly Balay Medical Advisor Monument Health Hospital, Rapid City, SD

Christie Lloyd Ernst Second Vice-Chair Lloyd Companies, Sioux Falls, SD

Dzenan Berberovic Board Member Avera Health, Sioux Falls, SD

Jim Entenman Board Member J&L Harley-Davidson, Founder/ Retired, Sioux Falls, SD

Dr. Katie D’Ardenne Medical Advisor Pediatrician, Bozeman MT Health Pediatric Clinic, Belgrade, MT

Mike Fuchs Treasurer Wipfli LLC, Missoula, MT

Ed Bloom Board Member Sioux Falls Ford Lincoln, Sioux Falls, SD

Paul Georgoff Board Member Dacotah Bank, Aberdeen, SD

Dr. Rick Kooima Medical Advisor Avera McGreevy Clinic, Sioux Falls, SD

Dr. Clark Likness Medical Advisor Retired, Brown Clinic, Watertown, SD

Dr. Joseph Segeleon Board Member Sanford Children’s Hospital, Sioux Falls, SD

Adam Tunning Board Member Moulton Bellingham PC, Billings, MT

Dani Wanderer Board Member Perceptyx, Bozeman, MT

Jim Berman Board Member Dakota News Now, Sioux Falls, SD

Doug Ekeren Board Member Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton, SD

Dr. James Wallace Medical Advisor Sanford Children’s Specialty Clinic, Sioux Falls, SD

Results from the 2022 Wish Impact Survey

In 2010, Make-A-Wish led a study that defined the impact of wishes on the children, siblings, parents and medical professionals that are part of the wish journey. This first-of-its-kind study provided quantitative measures of the impact of the Make-A-Wish mission. Now in 2022, this research has been expanded to a much larger population of Make-A-Wish families and medical professionals who overwhelmingly agree the positive effects of a wish can include improved physical, emotional and mental strength and well-being.

“Her wish will bring joy to all of us by seeing how happy she is. It’ll give us all a place to play and have fun with Clara where she will enjoy it the most.”

- Wish Kid Clara’s mom, Megan

“Our child was really struggling mentally, emotionally, and physically from his ongoing treatments. Our wish experience came at the perfect time and allowed our child to put the stresses of treatment aside, even if only for a short while.” - Wish mom Amy

95% of wish parents said their wish improved their family’s well-being.

100%

of medical providers said the wish experience improves a child’s emotional well-being.

Wish Kid Clara

9 10OUT OF wish alumni said their wish brought their family closer together.

“Hao Hao has faced many challenging medical situations. I have seen the effects on him as well as on his siblings. To get a camper for his wish would bring some much-needed excitement and opportunity to invest in happy family memories.” - Wish Kid Hao Hao’s mom, Heather

95% of wish alumni said the wish helped them overcome feelings of sadness.

Wish Kid Hao Hao

Wish Kid Halle

Make-A-Wish recognized

We’re thrilled to announce that Make-A-Wish has been recognized as the #1 Most Trusted Nonprofit Operating Locally Across 50 States! We’re proud to uphold this mark of quality and excellence, based on 2022 Morning Consult data. Thank you to supporters like you who have positioned Make-A-Wish to be the nation’s leading children’s wish-granting organization, operating in every community in the United States.

Driving for Dreams

More than 40 vehicles are driving South Dakota’s roads to help kids! Driving For Dreams provides an opportunity to promote your company and Make-A-Wish while adopting the wish of a child with a critical illness in South Dakota.

Levels are $1,500, $3,000 or $6,000 a year. Any business with company vehicles is welcome to participate. By participating in Driving For Dreams, you can transform the lives of children with critical illnesses.

Learn more by contacting us at 800.640.9198 or info@sdmt.wish.org

WW Tire in Brookings, SD is one of eight locations in South Dakota that support our Driving for Dreams program.

Granting wishes is something we all have the power to do.

Adopt-A-Wish®

Our Adopt-A-Wish program offers individuals, businesses, foundations or events the opportunity to be recognized as an Adopt-A-Wish Partner when they donate or raise $5,000 or more!

To learn more about becoming an Adopt-A-Wish Partner, contact us at 800-640-9198

Hope changes everything.

Celebrating 20 years of support from Macy’s through its annual Holiday Letter-Writing Campaign

We’d like to thank Macy’s for donating millions of dollars to Make-A-Wish nationwide and to everyone who has participated over the years in this beloved campaign.

Congratulations to the Macy’s store in Sioux Falls, SD, for receiving the award for collecting the most letters to Santa in their division during fiscal year 2022.

Our chapter is flying high after a surprise air miles donation arrived in the mail from Alan Stager of Watertown, South Dakota. One MILLION miles, that is! This incredible gift will help us make travel wishes come true for kids with critical illnesses. We are deeply grateful to Alan for his exceptional generosity that will allow us to save dollars as airfare costs continue to rise.

We caught up with Alan (AS) for some Q & A, to learn what inspired him to make such a transformational gift!

Q: What made you think of Make-A-Wish for your awesome miles donation?

AS: I recently made a mid-career transition that gave me a chance to reflect on what I wanted to do in the second half of my career. I noticed I had a million miles on Delta airlines, and I’d recently ran across a news story and saw information about the impact of Make-A-Wish.

Q: How did you get a MILLION miles?

AS: I spent 19 years as the Head of Finance with Terrex in Watertown with a focus on building up our business internationally. A million miles really aren’t that hard to get. There are many others out there who have that and more to give, and I think donating to Make-A-Wish is a great way to use those miles.

Alan Stager donated one million miles to Wishes in Flight.

Q: How did donating all those miles make you feel?

AS: It made me feel REALLY good! I had the realization that something good is going to happen as a result of all those years in an airplane seat, away from home and family for extended time. I spent the first half of my career gaining experience, knowledge, airline miles and stories. For the second half of my career, it feels good to give all those things back.

Q: When you donate airline miles to Make-A-Wish, they never expire. Thanks to your gift, 20 kids will get their travel wishes. Describe what that means to you:

AS: I hope I can inspire others to give miles because Make-A-Wish is an organization that needs them and will put them to good use. The ability to give kids with critical illnesses an experience with their loved ones that will last well into the future is a legacy I can leave. We all have things we can give away: knowledge, experience, miles and money. Much of what my wife and I give is private, but with these miles, I wanted to encourage others to give something that’s not monetary.

Donate Miles. Transform Lives.

Donate your Delta and United miles in four easy steps:

1. Go to wish.org/sdmt

2. Click Get Inolved then Other Ways to Support

3. Click Learn More under the Airline Miles heading

4. Click on Donate under Delta or United headings. This will open the Airline Miles Donation Form with the chapter the miles are being dedicated to listed on the bottom of the page under Local Chapter.

The local chapter will auto-populate to the chapter whose website was followed in Step 1.

Recent Events

Our heartfelt gratitude to our generous event and fundraiser organizers and participants who support our mission. Events included are those not listed elsewhere in this newsletter that occurred between September 1, 2021 and August 31, 2022.

North American Solstice and Sky Annual Meet

Vermillion-Yankton Dinner & Auction

Dave Needs a Shave with Prostrollo Automotive

PTA 5K For the Kids

Gerald Scheid’s Cans For Kids

Reliabank Golf Tournament

Midwest Class Racers

Angels With A Dream

Country Tractor Run

MORE RECENT EVENTS

Huron Pancake Feed

Northern Pancake Feed

Pump N’ Stuff Fundraiser

Aberdeen New Year’s Eve Event

WOD for Wishes

Dacotah Bank Golf Tournament

Wishmakers on Campus

Montana Association of Student Councils

Dusty Gliko Bull Riding Challenge

On The Road for Wishes Poker Run

Ride 4A Wish

Grand Falls Gives Back

Soo Foo Moto Fest

Stampede Take My Jersey

Miracles in Motion Event

Tay Tay’s Trot Trot

Day Dream Runway Event

3D Disk Golf Challenge

Giving Hope Bingo

South Dakota State Dart Tournament

Hy-Vee Buy A Star Be A Star Campaign

Kids Fore A Wish

Northeast South Dakota Dinner & Auction Celebrates 30 Years

The Make-A-Wish Northeast South Dakota Dinner and Auction in Watertown, SD celebrated its 30th anniversary in the fall of 2022. Nearly 500 people attended the annual event, raising dollars to support life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. On the milestone anniversary of this inspiring event, we sat down with recent event organizers, Gerry Likness (GL) and Laurie Danforth (LD) to learn some of the event’s history.

Q. How did this event begin?

GL and LD: In the 1970s, founders of the event Al Janzen, Roger Crom, Ron Ronke, Scott Schaeffer, Virgil Polak and Ron Peterka were inspired to come together to help families in the community who had a child battling a terminal illness. This group of philanthropists joined together to dream up a 50s-style dance where attendees enjoyed a night of music, companionship and dancing. Bill Janklow, also known as BJ the DJ, would spin records. Auction items were displayed throughout the basement of the Old Elks Club where community members could bid and the money that was raised would help grant wishes for children in the community. When the event first started, it would raise $300$500.

This lively and entertaining fundraiser became an annual event, and over time, it grew! The Sunnyside Inn became the venue for the fundraiser for several years.

Q. How did the Watertown community get involved with Make-A-Wish South Dakota when it was first formed?

GL and LD: In 1984, an official Make-A-Wish chapter was formed in South Dakota and Watertown area fundraisers joined to be one united effort. One of the first wishes that was granted in the Watertown community was a pony for wish kid Lynsey. Wish kid Mary Kay’s wish to meet the Pope was granted thanks to some

generous donors who stepped in to make it happen. A couple of other early wishes included a red calf and another wish kid wished to have his truck tricked out.

Q. What are some of your favorite memories of this event?

GL and LD: Support from the philanthropic Watertown community continued and the event grew so large that it was moved to the Event Center in 2004. Virg Polak and Roger Crom put on a skit that sold raffle tickets, one of the biggest money-raisers for the event. I [Gerry Likness] and Marne Hult ambitiously put this event together—the largest event to date.

Q. What do you think is so special that it’s grown year over year from the very beginning?

GL and LD: What makes this event so special is the remarkable support of the Watertown community. Each year, event planners and volunteers are astonished by the number of people who volunteer their time, resources and money to make this event a success. In their words, “It’s about the kids.”

A note from Make-A-Wish SDMT: Gerry Likness, Clark Likness and Laurie Danforth are true examples of inspired people who enthusiastically help run this event year after year. Gerry and Clark started by selling t-shirts and have helped pull the event together each year ever since.

What started out as a small group of people with a heart for children with critical illnesses grew into one of Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana’s largest internal volunteer-run events with 40+ volunteers from Northeast South Dakota, 500 guests and 100 wishes granted in the local area. We’d like to thank Watertown and surrounding communities for their continued dedication and support for this event. The impact you make each year is life-changing to wish kids, their families and the community.

Event organizers Gerry Likness and Lauri Danforth recount some of the event’s history.

Wish Heroes Virtual Fundraiser

Many dedicated wish families, volunteers, board members, donors, and staff accepted the challenge to be a Wish Hero and fundraise virtually April 15 to May 15, 2022!

Thanks to all of our Wish Heroes, many generous donors, and the four weekly matching corporate sponsors, the Wish Heroes campaign reached new heights, raising nearly $60,000 to create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses!

Interested in becoming a Wish Hero for our April 15 - May 15, 2023 campaign? For more information, call us at 605.335.8000 or 800.640.9198 or contact us at info@sdmt.wish.org.

WAYS TO GIVE Donate

When you donate, you’re giving children renewed strength to fight their illnesses, bringing families closer together and uniting entire communities. You can change lives. Make a one time gift, become a monthly donor or make your donation an honor/memorial gift.

Donate one of three ways today:

I wish to swim with dolphins at Discovery Cove®

Rowan, 8 genetic disorder

Photo: Claire Ramey Photo Co.

1400 W 17th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57104

Help us keep our mailing list updated! Send updates or changes to the address above or email info@sdmt.wish.org.

Refer A Child to receive a life-changing wish

A referral creates the greatest joy possible—and a turning point in a child’s treatment and recovery. More kids like Henry need the hope and joy of a wish. Help us spread the word about who qualifies.

Qualifications for Eligibility:

• Diagnosed with a critical illness

• Older than 2 1/2 and younger than 18 years old

• Has not received a wish from another wish-granting organization

Learn more about referring a child

Call 605.335.8000, toll-free at 800.640.9198, or visit wish.org/refer-a-child

I wish to ride a train in Alaska

Henry, 10 lymphoma