Sixteen-year-old Kelsey, of Wausau, Wisconsin, wished to go sandboarding.  This hip, new sport is the same principle as snowboarding, except travel is over sand instead of snow. 

Kelsey, along with her brother and parents, traveled to the Oregon coast, where Florence claims the hot spot of Sand Master Park – the world’s first sandboarding park.  Kelsey, an avid wakeboarder and snowboarder, received personal instruction from professional sandboarder Josh Tenge, a four-time world champion who teaches lessons at the park.  Kelsey, who enjoyed herself immensely on the sand dunes, said that it’s not much harder than snowboarding, and the main difference is the amount of weight you put on the board. 

Lon Beale of Sand Master Park generously donated the family’s lessons and even rallied other local businesses to get involved with making Kelsey’s wish a memorable experience.  Some of the highlights included a dune buggy tour courtesy of Sand Dunes Frontier, a guided kayaking trip donated by Central Coast Water Sports, a free tour of the Haceta Head Lighthouse and complimentary tickets to the Sea Lion Caves.

The family spent a week at a condo provided by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oregon, where for two nights, they enjoyed dinner personally prepared by chef Devin N. Marshall of The Seasoned Chef.  The Florence Events Center even chipped in a donated table, chairs and linens to add to the gourmet dining experience. 

Thanks to all of the generous businesses and individuals involved, Kelsey’s trip to the Oregon coast was an adventure-filled wish-come-true!

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for FREE Ice Cream! 

On Thursday, September 28, 2006, Cold Stone Creamery is hosting the 5th annual World’s Largest Ice Cream Social to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation®. 

People all over the country are invited to any Cold Stone Creamery from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. to enjoy a free Make-A-Wish® Creation in exchange for a donation. This year’s creation is inspired by Wish Kid Cole from Colorado, who combined chocolate ice cream, blended with yellow cake, chocolate chips, and rainbow sprinkles for the perfect treat!

All Cold Stone locations in Oregon and Clark County, Washington, are participating in this “cool” event!  Donations from customers will go directly to our local chapter, including the $1 Make-A-Wish stars that supporters can purchase to hang on the wall.

Stop by your local Cold Stone Creamery to make wishes come true for local kids with life-threatening medical conditions. Go to www.coldstonecreamery.com to find a location near you!

Teeing Off For a Cause

A mild August evening on the terrace putting green of 200 Market Street in downtown Portland was the ideal setting for the 2006 Wishful Putting event. 

Presented by StanCorp Investment Advisors, Wishful Putting was coordinated by the Make-A-Wish® junior board to raise funds and awareness of the Foundation’s mission to the more than one hundred guests in attendance. The festivities included live music, a silent auction and raffle, as well as a nine-hole putting competition.

The evening was capped off by a presentation to Mathew, a 13-year-old wish kid from Lake Oswego, whose wish was to have a custom-fit set of golf clubs. After receiving his wish, Mathew tested out his new clubs on the putting green and was given some tips by the pros from Red Tail Golf Center.  In the end, the 2006 Wishful Putting event raised enough money to grant the wishes for three children, including Mathew.

Many thanks to the following sponsors and in-kind donors that made the 2006 Wishful Putting event a success: StanCorp Investment Advisors, adidas, ScanlanKemperBard, Woodruff-Sawyer, Prudential Northwest Properties, Chubb & Son Insurance, Equity Office, First American Title, One Beacon Insurance, Gevurtz Menashe, Yost Grube Hall, Bon Appetite, McClasky, NW Office Interiors, Alpha Graphics, Jordan Schrader, Sigma Solutions, Red Tail Golf Center.