Make-A-Wish Michigan, who has been granting wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses since 1980, has been a fundraising focus for me since 2010.  My hope was to become apart of a wish-granting team, working one-on-one with their wish children, facilitating wishes, making dreams come true.  My training begins as soon as I am done with my Masters through MSU.  In a strange twist of fate, my oldest son became seriously ill in 2014.  Within days of entering the hospital, we were out at University of Michigan discussing his chances of survival and course of action.  His lead doctor at U of M happens to be on the board for Make-A-Wish, and I found myself in the surreal moment of hearing that my son qualified for a wish (something a mother never wants to hear).  At first, my son met this with complete apprehension; however, once he embraced it, he found happiness in having something to look forward to.  His wish was for a man cave, and what kept him going in the hospital through chemo and transplant, were his endless lists of what he would like within it.  When we arrived home post-transplant, with his siblings coming and going from school during cold and flu season, he required isolation for eight months due to his lack of immune system.  The man cave was a perfect solution; however, Make-A-Wish had so many wishes to grant, and we couldn’t accomplish it soon enough.  A friend contacted us about an organization called Rainbow Connection.  What is Rainbow Connection?  On May 9, 1980, Ron Dobson, his wife Janet, and their two children were traveling on Ron’s private airplane when tragedy struck.  Ron’s oil pump froze up, and the plane crashed.  Tragically, Ron and the children were killed and Janet was critically injured.  In August of 1980, L. Brooks Patterson, Oakland County Executive, and other dear friends held a memorial Golf Outing to raise a scholarship fund in the children’s names, raising around $2300 that first year.  From that humble beginning has evolved what is now today The Rainbow Connection, a Michigan based 501 charity dedicated to making dreams come true for Michigan children who are literally fighting for their lives.  Since 1985, thousands of Michigan children with life-threatening illnesses have experienced their most special dream come true, including my son.  This organization stepped up immediately granting my son’s wish.  I’m sure you can only imagine that with all these children, time is of the essence.  What is my point?  What is my plan?  My plans with Make-A-Wish are clear… taking the classes to become a wish facilitator.  With Rainbow Connection, I hope to learn better and more valuable ways to raise awareness for them.  At the time we had connected with them, we had never heard of them.  How is that possible?  My hope is to shoot a public service announcement, edit a compelling message, and obtain an advertising agency to help spread the word!  In the process, I shall continue to learn new, imaginative ways to bring awareness to these worthy organizations.