WDT students make a wish come true

Western Dakota Tech students have raised $5,172 to grant a child’s wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation of South Dakota. 

The students will present a check to the Make-A-Wish Foundation at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 26, at WDT in Rapid City. WDT invites the media.

The money raised will be used to pay for the wish of a Rapid City child suffering with a life-threatening medical condition. 

Business Management and Marketing students in the Career Enhancement Club sold reusable grocery bags and homemade ice cream and held a school-wide picnic during the fund drive. The efforts raised $5,172 in five months.

“We decided to set our goal high,” club treasurer Ryan Bunge said. “We didn’t want to just raise money for Make-A-Wish. We wanted to raise $5,000 so we could grant a wish to a child in the Rapid City area.”

Club president Daniel Cahoy suggested the idea early during the spring semester.

“I told the club about how the Make-A-Wish Foundation changed the life of a good friend of mine and about how I feel that it is so important for children who are less fortunate to be able to enjoy some happiness in their lives,” Cahoy said. “Sometimes, these children can have very short lives.

“By doing this fundraiser, I have found out there are so many stories, like mine, about children whose lives have been touched by Make-A-Wish,” he said. “They have touched so many lives in this community because of the generous, kind-hearted people who make fundraisers like ours a success.”   

Make-A-Wish will use the funds to grant a wish to a child in the Rapid City area.

“We are so proud of the WDT students and their commitment to raise the monies necessary to make a very ill child’s wish come true,” Mary Olinger, President and CEO of South Dakota Make-A-Wish, said. “These students are our leaders of tomorrow, and their dedication indicates that we have young people coming up the ranks with tremendous support and compassion. This group of students truly believes in the mission of Make-A-Wish.”

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of South Dakota will grant 82 wishes to children throughout the state this year.  Nearly 30 percent of the wishes are granted in the Rapid City area. 

“As the CEO for over 17 years, I have experienced hundreds of children receiving a wish come true,” Olinger said. “These wishes make a sick child smile again—it gives them hope, strength, and joy.  And, it’s just amazing that over 80 percent of our children are surviving their life-threatening medical conditions today. At Make-A-Wish, we like to think that by granting their heartfelt wish, we have something to do with their will to battle their horrible illnesses.” 

Since 1984, nearly 850 wishes have been granted to South Dakota children. 

The Career Enhancement Club and WDT thank students, staff members, faculty, sponsors, and the Blacks Hills community for all their hard work, dedication, and donations that made this fund-raiser a success.