Trainer’s Talk – What is Make-a-Wish and Wishing on a WOD

What is Make-a-Wish?
It is a truly magical organization whose sole mission is to grant the wishes of children battling life threatening illnesses. A wish experience can be a game-changer for a child with a life-threatening medical condition. 

Wishes are more than just a nice thing, and they are far more than gifts, or singular events in time. Wishes impact everyone involved – wish kids, volunteers, donors, sponsors, medical professionals, and communities. The impact varies. For wish kids, just the act of making their wish come true can give them the courage to comply with their medical treatments. Parents might finally feel like they can be optimistic. Others might just realize all they have to offer the world, through volunteer work or philanthropy.

What is Wishing on a WOD?
Every year in December, the community of Beaverton CrossFit and their partners and friends come together to support Make-a-Wish and their Season of Wishes. How the event works is you get pledges per round – kind of like a jog-a-thon. People can pledge as little as $.50 a round or unlimited flat amount donations. A round consists of 15 air squats, 10 sit-ups and 5 push-ups. Each participant has 30 minutes to complete as many rounds as possible. For kiddos that participate in the event, we give them 20 minutes to do as many rounds as possible. 

This year’s event is being held on December 6th at Beaverton CrossFit, McMinnville CrossFit and a few other CrossFit’s in the area. (more info on other participants to come!) You can check out the Facebook event page here. 

What does Make-a-Wish mean to me?
This will be my 4th year being involved with Wishing on a WOD and Make-a-Wish. The first year I had no previous experience with the organization, but as soon as I started doing my research I realized how amazing this organization really is. The people at Make-a-Wish Oregon truly believe in what they are doing and are so dedicated to making each and every wish as magical as possible. 

What Make-a-Wish Oregon does really hit home for me when I got to meet Rayce. Rayce was one of the Wishes we granted with our 2013 fundraiser. Rayce was born with a heart defect and had to undergo multiple surgeries. His Wish was to meet Mickey Mouse and go on a Disney Cruise. While his family was waiting to go on their Wish, the volunteer Wish Granters over at Make-a-Wish Oregon made sure that Rayce was reminded about the awesome trip he was about to take. They would send him presents and letters signed Donald Duck and other various Disney characters. Every month they did something special for him to keep his spirits up while he was recovering. 

When I met Racye at the annual Waffles and Wishes event earlier this year, I met an amazing, rambunctious 3 year old boy. You would never know what he had been through – unless you asked him to show his “bear scratches”, which are the scars that run down his chest. Talking to his mom, dad and sister and hearing what his Wish meant not only to him, but to the entire family, was a profound moment. It really drove home what these kids and families and communities go through while a child is battling a life-threatening illness. 

So I am truly hoping that you, your family and your friends can join us on December 6th to make this the most successful Wishing on a WOD yet! You can find the pledge form here –  get started on your pledges! Any questions or if you would like to get involved, email me at mgriffin@beavertoncrossfit.com. 

-xoxo Mel 

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