Please Note: Twilight Wish Foundation is registered in Pennsylvania as a nonprofit corporation and is a public charity exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations made to grant open wishes are tax deductible. Twilight Wish Foundation will make every effort to ensure that donated funds go to the wish of your choice. If this is not possible, we will apply the funds to the most urgent and similar wish open at the time. Twilight Wish Foundation has final decision-making authority over the use of all donations.
Patti S., 71, Tucson, AZ
/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Mary FarrellPatti Sereno, 71, a resident of Tucson, Arizona recently had her wish for hearing aids granted thanks to the Tucson chapter of Twilight Wish and El Dorado Audiology. Sereno is deaf in her left ear from a childhood bout with mumps and was starting to lose hearing in her right ear. She struggled to hear for yeras as her hearing faded, but couldn’t afford hearing aids on her own. Our Tucson chapter worked with El Dorado Audiology to outfit Sereno with hearing aids. El Dorado and Widex, the manufacturer of the hearing aids, donated the new device valued at $6,000.
Gladys J., 98, Towson, MD
/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Michelle BowrenThanks to a generous donor, Gladys’ wish will soon be granted! Gladys is described as a tender hearted, very humble lady who is always smiling. She is currently the Resident Council President at her nursing home and is an active member of the Red Hat Ladies Club. One of her favorite memories was going to the casino with her now deceased husband to play the slot machines. She especially like the lights and the bountiful buffets. She wishes to return to a casino with her son, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren to celebrate her recent birthday.
Meda D., 92, Lee, NH
/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Mary FarrellLee resident Meda Durepo recently had her wish to meet Dustin Pedroia of the Boston Red Sox, thanks to the New Hampshire chapter of Twilight Wish Foundation. Durepo has been an avid Boston Red Sox fan for her whole life and her favorite player is second baseman Dustin Pedroia. She watches every game on television, but had never been to a game in person. For her 92nd birthday, her daughter, Cheryl Geddo, bought seats right above the Red Sox bullpen, but wanted to make her birthday extra special by having her meet Pedroia. She submitted a wish application to Twilight Wish who, in turn, contacted the Red Sox. The Red Sox went above and beyond in granting this wish: Durepo was given a tour of Fenway and attended batting practice where she was given a ball and bat. Then, Pedroia came over and introduced himself to Durepo and signed her ball. The Red Sox also wished her a happy birthday on the scoreboard during the 5th inning!
Having her wish granted meant the world to Durepo who lost her son in 2013 and her husband of 65 years in 2014. She is known to all who know her as a very giving person who puts others first. She has been the president of the Lee Church Women’s Guild for over 40 years. Durepo has also been a volunteer for the Red Cross for many years and still volunteers her time for their blood drives.
Fred W., 86, Brownsburg, IN
/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Mary FarrellFred Wessels, a resident of Brownsburg Meadows in Brownsburg, Indiana, had his wish to attend an Indianapolis Indians baseball game with his friends granted, thanks to a partnership between the Indiana chapter of Twilight Wish Foundation and American Senior Communities. A Korean War veteran, Wessels is a lifelong baseball fan who played catcher on his high school team and later coached Little League for years. Before becoming a resident of Brownsburg Meadows, Wessels and his daughter attended Indians games with his daughter. Now 86, he wished to go to one more game with his friends. Wessels, along with family and friends, attended the July 5th Indians game in a box suite.
Ella P., 78, Jeannette, PA
/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Mary FarrellElla Powell, a resident of Jeannette, PA, recently had her wish for a lift chair granted, thanks to the Westmoreland County chapter of Twilight Wish Foundation. Ella worked her whole life in factories and also found time to volunteer in her community food bank and soup kitchen. She has severe arthritis and her new lift chair will allow her to get up from a sitting position on her own.
Jeannine F., 84, Erie, PA
/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Mary FarrellJeanine Filipowski, a resident of Ball Pavilion Nursing Home in Erie, had her wish to see a live performance of “Dancing with the Stars” granted, thanks to the Erie chapter of Twilight Wish Foundation. Filipowski, 84, and her daughter, Rebecca, watch “Dancing with the Stars” together every week. Ballroom dancing has a special place in Filipowski’s heart because she met her late husband in a dance hall in Clarion, Pennsylvania. Filipowski was very involved in her community volunteering at Our Lady of Peace School, in the Rosary Society at Our Lady of Peace Church, and was president of the Board of Directors in the East Erie Turners Social Club. Not only was her wish granted on Wednesday, June 24, 2015, but she met her favorite dancer, Val Chmerkovskiy.
Barbara P., 71, Erie, PA
/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Mary FarrellBarbara Paproski, 71, a resident of Erie, PA recently had her wish for a new lift chair granted. Her old one was broken beyond repair and her family was worried that she would fall trying to stand up on her own. Barbara is a prolific reader and spends much of her time in her chair, but couldn’t afford to replace her old chair and neither could her family. Barbara raised two sons as a single mother and worked as a nurse for 35 years. She volunteered extensively in her community with the Boy Scouts, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Hamot Mental Health Advisory Board, and the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. In addition, she is a concierge at St. Joseph Apartments where she lives and volunteered on their entertainment committee. Her wish for a new lift chair was granted in July of 2015.
Patricia G., 96, Greensburg, PA
/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Mary FarrellPatricia Glasser, a 96-year-old resident of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, had her wish to ride a horse one more time granted, thanks to the Westmoreland County chapter of Twilight Wish Foundation. Glasser and her husband owned horses for years until he became ill. When he needed his leg amputated, she gave up the horses she loved so she could devote all her time to his care. Her husband passed away three years ago and the rest of her family lives in Texas so she has no one who can take her to a stable to ride. The activities director at her facility, who nominated Glasser, wrote “Pat is still so passionate about horses and being able to ride again would mean the world to her.” Her wish was granted on Wednesday, June 17, 2015. Glasser was treated to a lunch at Cracker Barrel with Twilight Wish volunteers and then headed to Bogley Quarter Horses in Wyano where Glasser was able to ride a horse again.
Mae K., 89, Levittown, PA
/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Mary FarrellMae Krier, one of the original Rosie the Riveters from World War II, recently had her wish to travel to the American Rosie the Riveter Association’s convention in Richmond, CA.
Krier, 89, is one of the original “Rosie the Riveter’s of World War II. In 1943, after just graduating from high school in North Dakota, Krier and her family moved to Seattle for war work. At the young age of 17, she got a job working on B-17s and B-29s for Boeing in Seattle. One of her proudest memories is helping to build the 5 Grand, the 5,000th B-17 made by Boeing after Pearl Harbor. Krier, still a teenager at the time, and her co-workers painted their names on her fuselage. They were so proud of their hard work they pushed the plane out of the factory door onto the tarmac themselves. The 5 Grand passed inspection despite its lack of camouflage; the U.S. Army Air Corps made an exception thinking that the autographed plane would be good for morale. Krier kept track of the plane carrying her rivets as it flew 78 missions over Europe, shooting down two Nazi planes.
While in Seattle, Krier met her husband, Norm, a Navy man on the dance floor at the Service Man’s Center there. They married din April of 1945, just before the war ended and were married for 69 years until his passing in June of 2014. Shortly after they married, Norm was transferred to the naval air station in Pasco, Washington. Krier got a job at the base packing supplies to be sent overseas and worked alongside Italian prisoners of war who were interned at the base.
The ARRA reunion was held in Richmond, California and lasted for three days. Krier had a wonderful time and had the opportunity to exchange war stories with fellow “Rosies.” She meets regularly with other Rosies in the Philadelphia area and maintains contact with some from far-away places. After the convention, she added a few more to her list
Claudia S., 81, Erie, PA
/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Mary FarrellClaudia Spalla, 81, a resident of Erie, PA, had her wish for a new flagpole granted thanks to our Erie, PA chapter. Claudia was nominated by her hospice social worker to have her simple wish granted. She is an avid Steelers fan and had always wanted a flagpole in her front yard. She stated that she wanted it to represent her strength and ability to stand tall during her illness and throughout her lifetime. Claudia wanted to show her family her love and devoriton by always having her favorite Steelers flag waving to them, no matter what season it is. Claudia volunteered at the Salvation Army for many years. Her wish was granted this past summer.