The Make-A-Wish Cornerstone Society makes it easy to give back to the community and make a lasting difference in the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions.
Started with a donation in memory of an employee more than a decade ago, the Cornerstone Society now has close to 100 members dedicated to making magical wishes come true. “It means the world to me that the program is still going strong,” said Vita Tramazzo Goldberg, Cornerstone Society Founder. “Putting smiles on the faces of sick children is worth more than words can say.”
“Members of the Cornerstone Society have a very special, personalized donating experience where they give to grant the wish of a specific child,” explains Norman Wedderburn, President and CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida. “They can read the follow-up story and see pictures of a delighted child getting their wish granted and know that they are directly responsible for that joy.”
The Cornerstone Society has three levels of membership: Hope, Strength, and Joy. Each level is a five year donation pledge. ‘Hope’ members will grant one child’s wish at the end of five years by giving $1,000 each year, ‘Strength’ members donate $2,000 a year to grant two children’s wishes, and ‘Joy’ members donate $5,000 per year to grant a total of five wishes in five years.
“Though we had always been aware of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, we really have our CPA, Steve Demar of Kaufman Rossin, to thank for getting us involved in the Foundation and the Cornerstone Society. It was really his urging that helped us take that first step. We became Cornerstone members as a way to make regular giving a part of our operation; it really makes it easy to support the Foundation,” writes Eric Brooks of Brooks & Freund, LLC.
Anyone can become a member of the Cornerstone Society; the 100% tax deductible pledges can also be made in honor of or in memory of a loved one. Members receive recognition in Make-A-Wish Foundation publications and web site, invitations to exclusive events, and the gratification that comes from making a child’s wish come true.
“We have been Cornerstone Members for about four years and have contributed to the Foundation for much longer,” testify Patti and Larry Summerfield. “Make-A-Wish gives hope and joy to so many children who otherwise may not have any. What can be better than that?”
For more information about joining the Cornerstone Society, donating, or volunteering with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida, visit www.sfla.wish.org or contact Judith Yevick at 239-992-9474 or jyevick@sflawish.org.
ABOUT THE MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida grants wishes to children 2 ½ to 18 years old with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. Twenty-six years of magic and more than 7,000 wishes later, the Foundation continues its mission to share the power of a wish® with ailing children. To find out more about volunteering, fundraising, or becoming a wish sponsor for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida, please call 239-992-9474 or visit the website at www.sfla.wish.org.
This story is contributed by a member of the Naples community and is neither endorsed nor affiliated with Naples Daily News
