In early July, the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Oregon granted Adrianne’s wish to have a play structure in her backyard.  The La Grande four-year-old, was so excited to receive her play structure that she peeked out her window on a daily basis to watch for its arrival. The little girl was qualified to receive a wish because she has juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM), an auto immune disease that affects the skin and muscles.

Construction began in the family’s backyard on a July Saturday morning, when the Sequoia Summit Playset I was assembled.  Adrianne – who refused to spend the day shopping with grandma as planned due to the activity at home – kept a close eye on the progress of the workers.  Wanting to stay and see her play structure built, the little girl that was donned in a blue Make-A-Wish shirt even lifted a few boards herself.  The challenge was keeping her away from the partially-constructed structure, which at the end of the day featured two slides, two swings, glider swing, telescope, steering wheel, rockwall, and picnic table.  Adrianne said her favorite part of the structure was a two-seater swing, which she played on as soon as it was complete.

Special thanks go out to the local companies who stepped up to help with Adrianne’s wish.  Mark Goss of M.J. Goss Motor Company attended the festivities, representing the United Auto Workers-General Motors (UAW-GM) Adopt-A-Wish® sponsorship.  In addition, D&B Supply donated the landscaping cloth, and RD Mac gave gravel for the structure’s foundation.  Certified Personnel Service Agency supplied labor at cost to help with the construction efforts, and two of those people even donated their time after being a part of the wish.

Walking & Running for Wishes

Looking for a way to be active and help make local children’s wishes come true? Join our Walking & Running for Wishes charity team and race 26.2 miles in the Portland Marathon while raising money for The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Oregon.

Your support will go toward granting the wishes of local children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. Every wish that is granted is a dream come true for a child. Help us in our efforts to make dreams a reality.

Click here to register for the Portland Marathon and the Walking & Running for Wishes charity team.

Please visit the following link for a personal account from Walking & Running for Wishes charity team member, Mimi Baumstark and her efforts to train for a marathon while raising funds to grant wishes.

For more information, please contact Director of Development Laila Cook at 503/292-2280, ext. 24 or

A Final Successful Golf Tournament

For the eighth and final year, volunteers Don Conat and Don Ferguson co-chaired the 2006 Coldwell Banker Golf Tournament to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Oregon.  Twenty-five teams participated in this 18-hole scramble which raised more than $43,000 at McNary Golf Club.

Golfers enjoyed a beautiful summer day followed by an awards presentation featuring four-year-old wish child, David of Lebanon.  He shared some of his favorite experiences from his wish to go to a warm beach in Sarasota, Florida.  David’s mother also spoke briefly about what a special time David’s wish was for the whole family after a really difficult year of medical treatments and hospital stays.

After David’s presentation some golfers took the microphone to thank Don Conat for his commitment to the tournament and the Foundation and presented him with gifts.  There were tears in the crowd as people talked about how much they appreciated his efforts.

The tournament’s success was possible because of contributions from local businesses, such as presenting sponsors Coldwell Banker and Mountain West Group. This year the tournament also received a generous sponsorship from United Auto Workers General Motors (UAW-GM).