Kids For Wish Kids® Recognition Ceremony to Celebrate $290,000 Raised for Wishes
–Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park Salutes 3,500 Students’ Efforts with Free Admission—
Denver, CO (June 17, 2013) – For the fourth consecutive year, Rock Canyon High School in Highlands Ranch will take top honors for raising the most amount of money for Make-A-Wish Colorado’s Kids For Wish Kids program. Not only did the Jaguars set a statewide record for fundraising, they also beat all other Make-A-Wish high school student fundraisers nationwide by raising over $60,000 – enough to grant eight wishes, including Mara’s wish to go on a Disney Cruise! Fort Morgan Middle School in Fort Morgan and Pine Ridge Elementary School in Aurora are recognized as the top fundraisers in the Colorado elementary and middle school categories.
As a special thank you to these young philanthropists from all three schools, Elitch Gardens will welcome 3,500 students into the park free of charge for “Wish Wednesday” celebrations and host a congratulatory ceremony for the top fundraisers on June 19 at 9:30 A.M. in front of the Big Wheel on Main Street.
In all, more than 60 schools participated in the Kids For Wish Kids 2011-2012 program and raised more than $200,000 to help grant wishes to Colorado children with life-threatening medical conditions. In addition to raising money for wishes, a goal of the Kids For Wish Kids program is to help students discover philanthropy by selecting their own fundraising project and managing them from start to finish. The program’s success belongs entirely to the students!
Make-A-Wish® Colorado
Make-A-Wish® Colorado grants the wishes of Colorado children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1983 as one of the nation’s first Make-A-Wish chapters, Make-A-Wish Colorado has granted 4,000 wishes to eligible children throughout Colorado. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact, most health professionals surveyed believe a wish-come-true can have positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illnesses, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Visit Make-A-Wish Colorado at www.colorado.wish.org to learn more.
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