WHAT’S INSIDE
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Letter From Leadership
Where Are They Now?
Featured Story - Orion’s Wish
Sebastian’s Wish
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Volunteer Spotlight
Donor Spotlight
Eliza’s Wish
Making A Direct Impact
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Events & Fundraisers
Kids For Wish Kids®
Wishes By The Numbers
During the Share the Love event, Subaru of America donates $250 for every
new Subaru vehicle sold or leased, donating $50 million to charitable causes
since the program’s inception six years ago. Last year alone, Subaru donated
more than $3 million to Make-A-Wish® nationwide, including $128,000 to
Make-A-Wish Colorado.
WHY WISHES MATTER
Dear Friends,
From our very beginnings, Make-A-Wish was a grassroots, collaborative movement based on inspiration and the
impact a wish can create for a child, their family and the community. In Colorado, our chapter has granted 4,879
wishes since 1983 and has become an integral part of the largest wish granting organization in the world.
Many of you are probably familiar with the proverb “It takes a village to raise a child.” Granting the true, heartfelt
wish of a child facing a life-threatening medical condition encompasses the same idea. It involves many people
in the process – including volunteers, donors, corporate partners, health care providers and our staff. All of these
individuals play a major role in making our magical mission possible. Working together, we are able to grant the
one true wish of every eligible child.
Wishes Matter is full of ideas on how you, too, can make a difference. Whether it is starting a “Wish Week” at your
child’s school, leaving a legacy through your financial plans, attending one of our events throughout the year, or
becoming a wish granter, investing in our mission has never been easier. However you make an impact, please
know how grateful we are to have you as part of our Make-A-Wish Colorado family.
Wishes are just as important today as they were in 1983. Thank you to everyone who has been involved with
our chapter from our inception to the present. When you give the precious gift of time, talent and/or treasure
to Make-A-Wish Colorado, you are helping to transform the life of a local child with a life-threatening medical
condition and enriching the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
Best wishes,
Joan Mazak
Founder, President & CEO
STAFF
Joan Mazak
President & CEO
Marilyn Tillery
Vice President of Operations
Patti Forsythe
Director of Events & Promotions
Teresa Pusztai
Director of Philanthropy
Becky Schilling
Director of Volunteers
& Workplace Giving
Alyssa Welch
Director of Program Services
Lauren Beede
Associate Director of Philanthropy
Jeff Krebs
Associate Director of Philanthropy
Claire Babb
Wish Coordinator
Jamie Castle
Wish Coordinator & Administrative
Assistant
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Dennis Brown
Chairman of the Board
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jennifer Getsch
Wish Coordinator
Sarah Grosh
Kids For Wish Kids® Manager
Laurie Nielsen
Database Manager
Ana Nouel
Wish Referral & Outreach
Coordinator
Natasha Silensky
Communications Manager
Linda Turner
Gift-Processing Manager
Jennifer Mace-Walton
Wish Coordinator
Stacie Winslow
Auction Coordinator &
Sponsorship Acquisition
Shawn Bernal
Sr. Systems Analyst
John Sardoni
CPA
Dennis Brown - Chairman
Holland & Hart, LLP
Scott Esmond - Vice Chairman
EffectiveUI
Gary Aboussie
The Colorado Group, Inc.
Doug Askam
EKS&H, LLLP
Sara Bittorf
Marketing Consultant
Tomago Collins
Kroenke Sports Enterprises, LLC
Seth Katz
Burg, Simpson, Eldredge, Hersh &
Jardine, P.C.
Kelly Maloney, M.D.
Children’s Hospital Colorado
William Myers
Business Consultant
Mary Ricketson
Dean Emerita, University Professor,
University of Denver
Steve Shaffer
Raw Juice
Laura Srsich
Eide Bailly LLP
Beau Stark
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Constance Talmage
Colorado Lawyers Committee
Scott Van Ramshorst
American Family Communities, LLC
Byron Walker
Survival Frog
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
THEN
A love of animals led to Hailey’s wish trip to San Diego.
Five-years-old at the time, Hailey had been diagnosed with a
hematologic disorder when she was referred to Make-A-Wish Colorado.
When deciding on her wish, Hailey wanted a trip where she could
interact with animals. San Diego, with its many animal parks, fit the bill.
Hailey and her family had a wish experience that provided “a light
at the end of the tunnel for the whole family,” Hailey’s mom, Christy,
shared. Hailey had a sleepover unlike any other at the Safari Park in
the San Diego Zoo. Once all of the zoo guests had left for the day and
most of the animals had turned in for the night, Hailey and her family
were tucked into sleeping bags and slept in a tent right by her new
elephant friends. As dawn arrived, she was
awoken by the roaring tigers in the distance.
But Hailey, being incredibly brave, was not
startled by the sounds of the wildlife around
her. Instead, she was thrilled.
NOW
Hailey, now 10-years-old, has just started
middle school. “Hailey vividly remembers
her Make-A-Wish journey. Fortunately, she
has limited recollections from her medical
past,” said Christy. She still has the wood
whale tail necklace that provides a
comforting reminder of the wish trip. Hailey
is enthusiastic to share her future goals.
Combining her love of animals with her
own medical experiences, Hailey would like
to go to school to be