Bringing Hope to Life: Volunteer Appreciation Week
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Make-A-Wish was built by volunteers who believed in the power of hope and community, and that legacy continues today — over 170 volunteers currently bring wishes to life in Central and Western North Carolina. Their dedication expands what is possible, allowing us to grant more wishes, engage more supporters, and strengthen our reach in meaningful ways.
This Volunteer Appreciation Week, we want to extend our gratitude to ALL our amazing volunteers.
Keep reading to meet just a few of our dedicated Wish Granters who inspire hope, strength, and joy for kids, families, and all of us at Make-A-Wish CWNC.
Pamela Bennett
Pamela is a Wish Granter whose passion for the mission shines with every interaction she has with our kids and team!
Pamela says,
“Volunteering has been a part of my daily life since I learned it from my parents. Volunteering is the only way I know to truly be a community member. I have worked for several nonprofits and depended on volunteers everyday — so I understand how vital they are to the mission.”
“Although I haven’t been with MAW long, so many children and families have touched my heart. The memory that comes to mind first was a little girl, feeding tube in her nose, beautiful bald head, and yet her love for life and sweet soul was undeniable. She was so excited and thankful... It was so rewarding to get to know all about her and her wishes. She taught me bravery and thankfulness.”
Leidy Molina
As a wish mom, Leidy has been able to share the power of a wish with our Spanish speaking families. Whether it's a discovery visit or a shopping spree, Leidy shows up with enthusiasm as she connects with each family!
Leidy says,
“I like to serve and help those in need; it’s my form of showing gratitude to Make-A-Wish for my daughter Leah’s wish. I don’t have any favorite memories, because every shopping spree with wish kids is my favorite memory... but thinking about it, my best memory was my first wish party with wish kid Gabriela. She helped me understand why I wanted to be a volunteer.”
Nikki Brickey
Niki has a natural ability to help kids flesh out their wish ideas. Niki serves as a Wish Granter and as an office volunteer at our Greensboro office.
Nikki says,
“Knowing these kiddos have some very rough days, I get to see the brave side of them. It is such a joy to see the excitement in the kids' faces when being part of making a wish happen for them.”
“One wish discovery visit, wish kid Nathan admired the large cut-out of the Rock and asked if he could also have a cut out. After he spoke a little more, I learned that he wanted one of himself. His exact words were ‘This way I can look at it each day and see how cute I am.’ It brough tears of joy and laughter to all in the room that day.”
Robin Clark-Smith
Robin's personal connection to our mission enables her to show up with compassion as she helps children navigate their wish journey. Robin's ability to make the children feel seen and heard helps them experience hope, strength, and joy.
Robin says,
“I lost my sister to neuroblastoma in 1978, two years before there was a Make-A-Wish Foundation. For six years our family watched her fight that battle, and I often think of her and what her wish would have been had there been Make-A-Wish at that time.”
“I love working with the children and digging deep to see what they are thinking or how, even if for a short time, I can be a part of making their life a little more exciting by granting a wish. It is gut wrenching to hear their stories and see their brave faces, but even though there are tears, there is also laughter and joy that come along with making a wish happen. I love everything about this experience and am so thankful for each and every experience I am involved in.”
Sonia Soszna
Sonia is a bilingual Wish Granter whose language skills have helped us better serve our Spanish speaking families. Sonia never hesitates to share the power of a wish within her community, engaging her friends in the volunteer journey as well!
Sonia says,
“I love the Make-A-Wish mission. I love to help people, but especially kids and teens.
[My favorite memories are] the smiles of the kids when I do the wish discovery interviews. It doesn't matter if it is online or in person, it is wonderful to see the kids be happy while they tell me their wishes.”
Rebecca Ashworth and Eric Prugh
Rebecca and Eric are a wish granting duo who selflessly give of their time, talents and resources! Their commitment to our mission extends beyond helping children brainstorm their wish ideas as they also volunteer at events.
Rebecca says,
“Our interest in volunteering with Make-A-Wish started when our granddaughter, Alivia, had her wish to go to Disney World granted in October 2022. This was a much-needed moment of weightlessness, not just for Alivia, but for the whole family. That is absolutely priceless when the world feels incredibly heavy. Being able to see firsthand the impact a granted wish could have made the choice to volunteer so easy. We've had the opportunity to volunteer with wish granting, shopping sprees, and Wish Balls. And we've had so much fun doing it! We look forward to many more years of new relationships, granted wishes, and happy kids and families.”
Want to learn more about how you can help make wishes come true? Find out more at https://wish.org/nc/ways-help-us
