Students at Charles W. Baker High School in Baldwinsville need your help to make a sick child’s wish come true.
A group of seniors from the Baker Key Club, an organization dedicated to community service, is raising money to help Make-A-Wish of Central New York grant the wish of a local child. Make-A-Wish offers opportunities for kids with a life-threatening medical condition to achieve a dream or a wish. The local chapter covers 15 counties, including Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Otsego, Oswego, St. Lawrence, Tioga and Tompkins.
The Key Club’s effort was spearheaded by member Liz Johns, a senior at Baker.
“I always wanted to raise money for Make-A-Wish,” Johns said. “I don’t know why. I just always had the urge. This summer, I finally did it. I got all my friends together and we started raising money. We had a bottle drive in the summer, a car wash. Then I got the school involved with the Key Club.”
The club decided they’d rather work to grant a specific wish, rather than just donate money to Make-A-Wish. That means they must raise a total of $9,500. Fortunately, they’re well on their way — the club has already raised about $7,000. In addition to the events Johns and her friends organized over the summer, the school has conducted several fundraisers. On Feb. 6, at the Baker hockey game against Cicero-North Syracuse, the Key Club hosted a Chuck-A-Puck event, which allowed spectators to purchase pucks and throw them onto the ice between periods. Chuckers earned prizes donated by the community and collected by the Key Club. Other events have included a bowling night, a booth at Baldwinsville’s Oktoberfest and caroling through the village. The group has also received significant support from the community, including a $1,000 grant from the Kiwanis Club.
The group will also host an all-day fitness event starting at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 28. Called willPower for Wishes, the event features a barefoot cardio class and a yoga meditation. The first 80 people to register will receive “swag bags.” Presale tickets are available for $10 for adults and $5 for students. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. at the door, and additional donations will be accepted. This will be the Key Club’s last fundraiser for the effort.
The fact that the effort came from a student isn’t surprising, according to other Key Club members.
“It’s all student-run,” said Samantha Wallon. “[Our advisors] Mrs. Rubadou and Mrs. Foote support us in whatever we do, but the ideas really come from us.”
The campaign for Make-A-Wish has helped bring the group closer together.
“It’s really been a bonding experience for us. It’s a nice way for us to come together,” said Lauren Schmidt. “This is the first time we’ve really done something like this.”
But it’s not for the faint of heart.
“You have to be committed enough to follow through,” Wallon said. “You have these kids who are counting on you.”
Though all of the students behind the effort will graduate in June, they don’t want the effort to stop with them.
“I would challenge the classes after us to do this,” said Cole Burchill. “If Baldwinsville could grant one wish a year, it could change a lot of people’s lives.”
Bryn Judkins agreed.
“We want people to know how good of an organization it is, not just for people in Baldwinsville or people in the Key Club,” Judkins said. “Everyone in Central New York should be aware of them and support them.”
The effort has a website where people can donate; visit bitly.com/1vnokmy. They’ve also set up a Twitter feed: @MakeAWishBville.
