Granting wishes

Shailee, a 7-year-old with neurofibromatosis, and Isabella, a 4-year-old with leukemia, wished to vacation in Hawaii with their families. Karina, a 9-year-old with leukemia, dreamed of visiting Williamsburg, Virginia, and Dylan, a 12-year-old with cystic fibrosis, wanted to be a movie star.

Karina and her family visit the Fullerton, California, mill.

Since 2002, the Kimberly-Clark team at the Fullerton, California, mill has partnered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Orange County and the Inland Empire, an organization that grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions. The employees began raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation through their yearly United Way fundraising campaign, with annual pledge drive coordinators hoping to encourage employee participation and excitement around the campaign by focusing their efforts specifically on granting wishes for children.

"Kimberly-Clark has been a generous and committed supporter of our work for more than 10 years," said Kristin Bush, communications manager, Orange County United Way. "We are extremely grateful for this partnership and applaud the Fullerton team for their fundraising efforts on behalf of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the children whose wishes they grant.”

To date, mill employees have raised $114,000, allowing 16 wishes to be granted, including those of the following children:

• Karina, a 9-year-old with leukemia who frequently listened to her grandmother read stories from the American Girl collection, became inspired by a character from the stories who lived in Virginia during the colonial times. K-C employees sent Karina and her family to Williamsburg and during her adventure, Karina dressed in a Southern colonial gown, tried parlor dancing and learned how to scrape fur and grind corn.
• Shailee, a 7-year-old with neurofibromatosis and Isabella, a 4-year-old with leukemia, dreamed of traveling to Hawaii. Shailee’s wish came true when her entire family was whisked away to Honolulu. During her trip, she swam with dolphins, participated in a luau and watched her brother Neiko play drums in the Pearl Harbor Parade. Isabella and her family were sent to Maui, where they enjoyed relaxing by the pool, snorkeling in the ocean and keeping watch for Isabella's favorite animals, whales. To celebrate their adventures, K-C employees invited both girls to the Fullerton mill, where they were greeted with leis and hugs.
• Dylan, a 12-year-old with cystic fibrosis, dreamed of being a movie star. His wish came true when he played one of the children in the birthday party scene in the movie, “Cheaper by the Dozen.” Dylan’s scene is available on the DVD version of the movie and he is listed in the credits. He also toured the Fullerton mill, rode on one of the distribution department’s tractors and entertained employees with his acting. Dylan even got movie star treatment from mill employees when they lined up to ask for his autograph.

“The K-C Fullerton team’s fund-raising campaign for the Make-A-Wish Foundation has been a rewarding experience for everyone involved,” said Stewart VanHorn, mill manager, K-C Fullerton. “Inviting the children and their families to the mill to celebrate their wishes each year inspires each of us to grant the next wish.”

To learn more about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, please visit http://www.wish.org/

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