Unions And Community Partners Grant Wishes To Children Struggling With Illnesses
SAINT JOHN – It could be an elaborate outdoor playset, a swimming pool, or a trip to Toronto to watch a Maple Leafs game and meet their star players. These are all the dreams of children and teens who have been part of the Workers4Wishes program, an organization dedicated to granting the wishes of young New Brunswickers facing life-threatening illnesses.
Founded by Eamon Clarke, now a past-president of the group, Workers4Wishes makes five dreams per year come true, with the organization and fundraising done completely by volunteers.
“One of the things that we pride ourselves on is that we’re 100 percent volunteer, so no one gets paid for any wishes that we work on or anything that we do,” said Workers4Wishes President Yvette Gallant. “All money fundraised, the majority of the money, other than if we have to purchase something, goes towards those wishes.”
The organization is run by volunteers from local Saint John unions – International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union Local 502, Millwrights Local 2262, & the Pipefitters Union UA213 – and community partners that include the Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce, Irving Oil Refinery, Investors Group, K100 and Wyndham World Inc.
What makes Workers4Wishes special is how the charity personally works with a child and their family to customize wishes, with two committee volunteers assigned to work on each individual wish.
“We collect per wish so then the people know where their money is going to, what child they’re going to help,” said Gallant.
Dorothy Miller is another Workers4Wishes volunteer who says a profile is created for each child while collecting for their wish. “It gives us more of a personal aspect of it so that’s how we get the wish granted so much easier,” Miller said.
From room makeovers, building playgrounds, a Disney World trip and a P!nk concert, Workers4Wishes have worked on a wide variety of wishes. “We sent a little girl across Canada in an RV,” added Gallant.
In 2015, Alex, a Maples Leafs super-fan, realized his dream of attending a Leafs game. Meeting the Leafs and watching them warm-up was a highlight for the players and the highlight of the 15-year-old and his family on their trip Toronto.
Volunteers also take care to include siblings and friends in the wish and make it an inclusive experience.
“It’s stuff like that makes us unique. I don’t know other organizations would be able to provide, like maybe two kinds of wishes in one, because we’re small, we can do things outside the realm of big organizations,” said Miller.
In the 10 years since the charity began, it has granted an estimated 50 wishes for children aged three to 18. In order to apply for a wish on behalf of a child or their family, one can submit an online application on their website or fill out a paper application and mail it in.
Others in Saint John are giving back to help Workers4Wishes reach their goals. \Woodchuck Axe Throwing will host a tournament for the charity, and after winning ICS Creative Agency’s online contest – “Thanks To You” – Workers4Wishes is working with ICS to revamp their website and create a new logo. Last Christmas the GPMC donated $50,000 to the charity, which will help in making more wishes come true.
An anniversary celebration to be held on April 18 at the Bill McGuire Centre, where food will be served and a band will play (check for details on the charity’s Facebook page).
“For me, the part that I enjoy the most is being able to give these families a week or some time to not even think about the sickness,” said Gallant. “They’re just enjoying each other’s company instead of worrying about going to the doctor; they’re just being a family and that’s what’s most important for me.”