Children’s Wishes tees up Aug. 1 to change kids’ lives

By Kelcy Dolan
Posted 7/7/16

A “Wall of Wishes” will greet golfers on the green for Children’s Wishes’ first ever golf invitational at Warwick Country Club August 1. The wall will be filled with pictures of children …

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Children’s Wishes tees up Aug. 1 to change kids’ lives

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A “Wall of Wishes” will greet golfers on the green for Children’s Wishes’ first ever golf invitational at Warwick Country Club August 1. The wall will be filled with pictures of children whose wishes have been granted by the non-profit organization. From children smiling on their trips to Disney, their delight at swimming with dolphins, their surprise at room makeovers and much more golfers will be reminded just who they are playing for.

Children’s Wishes, a wish-granting agency based out of Rhode Island, services children with terminal, degenerative and malignant conditions in the Rhode Island and South Eastern Massachusetts area. Established in 2009 Children’s Wishes has granted 66 wishes and are currently working on six with more applications coming in every day.

In comparison to many other grant wishing agencies, Children’s Wishes’ mission is much more broad and can therefore help more children with various conditions with different severities. With this greater mission, every family that receives a wish remains in the organization’s “Wish Family.” The organization remains in contact with the families they have become involved with long after a wish is granted, offering different events throughout the year to bring them all together, including an annual picnic and a holiday toy drive. This Wish Family creates a network of support for families with children struggling with various medical conditions and to share their experiences with one another.

Executive Director Mary O’Rourke said, “We realize that these families’ challenged don’t end just because their wishes are granted. They come home and there are still bills to pay and doctors to visit.”

Sharon Tilton, whose son Ben’s wish for a Disney Cruise and to swim with the dolphins was granted by Children’s Wishes three years ago, said she is in regular contact with the organization.

Ben was born with a rare micro cystic lymphatic malformation and was “out of his mind excited” the whole trip.

“What sets this organization apart is they don’t just grant your wish and leave you,” Tilton said. “They call when they have tickets to sports games, or when a celebrity will be in town. They have only continued to be supportive of our family. We are so appreciative.”

Tilton also said that being able to meet with the other families involved with Children’s Wishes has shown her son that he is not alone, and he has made friends he can lean on that are having similar experiences.

Ben will be speaking at the golf tournament about how Children’s Wishes has impacted his life.

Although Children’s Wishes have had smaller fundraisers in the past, this will be the first large-scale gold invitational put on by the organization. The tournament, which will take place on the first of August at Warwick Country Club, is sponsored by East Commerce Solutions (ECS).

ECS’s CEO Edward Medeiros has been involved with the organization since its inception and believes the “grassroots” organization exemplifies everything a non-profit should be: “all about their mission and doing the right thing 100 percent o the time.”

He said Children’s Wishes holds a special place in his heart because they don’t just try and help a child for a moment or for a day but try to make a lasting difference in the lives of Rhode Island’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged children.

“I have always believed that if you can improve the life of a child you can improve the whole world even by a little bit. They have such strength and faith. When they heal they will remember this kindness and pass it on,” Medeiros said.

“You can see how much it means to these kids from the smiles on their faces,” Mandy Stalaboin, whose daughter Lydia received a wish to swim with dolphins in Discovery Cove, said.

Lydia was born with KTS, a rare congenital vascular disorder, and has loved dolphins her whole life. Stalaboin said the trip made her daughter feel special, and “when she was with those dolphins there was nothing wrong for her. It was a dream come true.”

Lydia will be speaking alongside Ben at the invitational.

Tilton said that, for Ben, having his wish granted was more than just a fun trip, it also helped to boost his confidence. She explained that because of his condition, Ben has a physical deformity on his face that hurts his self-esteem and he was prone to keeping his face down. On the Disney trip, knowing that people cared about him, to be made to feel special, that even though he may be “different” he was loved, Ben was far more outgoing, social and confident.

“We want to leave our footprint in the community,” O’Rourke said. “Hopefully, this is the first of many tournaments for us.”

Children’s Wishes’ First Invitational Golf Tournament, sponsored by East Commerce Solutions, will be on Monday, August 1st beginning at 1 p.m. and continuing until 8 p.m.

The Tournament will take place at the Warwick Country Club, 398 Narragansett Bay Avenue. There are various participation packages for singles and groups to join the tournament. All the money raised will go directly to granting wishes to local children.

For more information on Children’s Wishes and or the golf tournament visit their website at www.cwishesri.com or their offices at 2346 Post Road, Suite 102.

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