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.
Elderly Cancer Patient Wished to Have Beloved Car Painted
/in Top StoriesDecker, a resident of Richardson, Texas, is currently battling stage IV colon cancer and undergoing weekly chemotherapy treatments. According to his daughter, Polly Ritter who submitted his wish application, he tries very hard to go about his daily routine and taking care of his 1997 Honda Accord is one of the things he enjoys doing. Decker loves his car dearly, according to Ritter, and having it painted would make him feel better about driving to and from his chemotherapy treatments. Special thanks to Carlos Young of Maaco of Plano, Texas who donated the cost of the paint job for Decker. Thanks also to Twilight Wish volunteer Nicole Deschamps who worked tirelessly to grant this wish! Decker’s wish was the 1,548th wish granted since our founding in 2003.
Elderly Veterans Honored at Wish Granting
/in Top StoriesJu
Former Philadelphia Eagles’ player Bill Bergey visits with Veterans.nior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) cadets from the Philadelphia School District, in conjunction with Doylestown-headquartered nonprofit Twilight Wish Foundation, Teva Pharmaceuticals, and the Philadelphia Eagles granted the simple wishes of 120 residents of the Coatesville Veterans Affairs Medical Center in honor of Veterans Day on Tuesday, November 9, 2010.
Over the past few months, over 700 JROTC cadets from high schools throughout Philadelphia held fundraisers and worked hard to raise money to grant 120 wishes for the veterans. The high schools included South Philadelphia, Roxborough, Strawberry Mansion, Philadelphia Military Academy at Leeds, Elverson, Frankford, Martin Luther King, Bartrum, Overbrook, and Benjamin Franklin. Many of the Veterans’ wishes were for simple items including Bibles, radios, books, a chess set, pajamas, stuffed animals, Eagles hats, and rosaries. Teva Pharmaceuticals, through a collaboration with the Philadelphia Eagles, donated funds to help grant the wishes and also matched the total amount raised by the cadets. A group of JROTC cadets, Twilight Wish staff and volunteers, and Teva representatives visited the center and distributed the gifts during a special luncheon honoring and thanking the Veterans for their sacrifices. Just before the gifts were distributed by the cadets, the Veterans were surprised by a visit from Eagles players Bill Bergey and Chad Hall, Swoop, the Eagles mascot, and two Eagles cheerleaders, thanks to the partnership between Teva and the Philadelphia Eagles.
“We’re only NFL players for so long and anything we can give back is just an awesome feeling,” said Hall. “These Veterans are the real heroes, the reason we are here.”
76 year old Jackie realizes life-long dream of becoming an author
/in Top StoriesTwilight Wish Executive Director Cass Forkin and book illustrator Jess Tommassello attended the party where Jackie signed books for her friends and family.
86-Year-Old Steelers Fan Has Wish to Attend Game Granted!
/in Top StoriesRupinsky, 86, has lived her whole life in Western Pennsylvania, working for several years at the Heinz factory and taking care of her husband who contracted malaria after returning from World War II. She has devoted her whole life to taking care of others, including raising her own daughter and taking in two nieces and the two children of a neighbor who had passed away, raising them all as her own. According to her niece, Kathie Oberst, who submitted the wish application on her behalf, “Chi Chi always sacrificed her own needs, always putting others first. She never took a vacation or had a manicure. Her clothes were always hand-me-downs and haircuts were rare. In spite of this, she is always happy-go-lucky and giving to others.”
Rupinsky’s simple wish came true when she attended her first ever Steelers game with Oberst. Thanks to the generosity of the Steelers’ organization, Rupinsky had pre-game access and met Hines Ward who signed her #86 jersey. Special thanks goes to Jeff Tushar of ARAMARK who donated the tickets for Rupinsky and to Alco Parking who donated the parking pass for Rupinsky.
77-Year-Old Yankees Fan Has Wish Granted
/in Top StoriesAn elderly Yankees fan had her wish to see them play in their new stadium granted, thanks to national nonprofit Twilight Wish Foundation. Olga Henderson, 77, has been a diehard Yankees fan since she was a young girl and often went to games at the old stadium. Though wheelchair bound, she wished to see the Yankees play one more time in their new stadium.
Henderson and her late husband were loyal, lifelong Yankees fans. Despite suffering a stroke several years ago that has her confined to a wheelchair, Henderson still makes an annual trip to her husband’s gravesite to celebrate their life together. Her wish to see a game in the new Yankees stadium will be a continuation of that celebration because of the Yankees memories she has with her husband. Her wish came true on Tuesday, September 21, 2010 when she watched the Yankees play Tampa Bay in the new Yankee Stadium and met former Yankees first baseman Tino Martinez. She said, “It was the best day of my life!” Special thanks to Lifestar who donated the cost of transporting Henderson to and from the game.
Elderly Lambertville Veteran Receives Twilight Wish for Lift Chair
/in Top StoriesMonteverde, 80, was born and raised in Lambertville and still lives in his childhood home. A veteran of the Marines, he now has several medical issues that limit his mobility, making it difficult for him to remain independent. His social worker submitted the wish on his behalf, requesting an electric lift chair that would make it easier for him to get up and out of his chair more frequently. His simple wish came true on Wednesday, September 8, 2010, when his new lift chair was delivered. Special thanks to Delcrest Services who discounted the cost of the chair for Twilight Wish and to the Doylestown Rotary who sponsored the wish.
Phillie Phanatic Wish Granted at Local Nursing Home
/in Top StoriesPhillies fever was in full swing during a pep rally on August 24th at the Peter Becker Community when the elderly residents were surprised with a visit by the Phillie Phanatic! This unexpected visit came in the form of a wish granting for an elderly Phillies fan there, thanks to Twilight Wish Foundation
Russell Moyer, 96, is a longtime Philadelphia Phillies fan who listens to the games every night. Bill Haines, a volunteer at the nursing center submitted a wish application on Moyer’s behalf, writing “Baseball and the Phillies are a very important part of the day-to-day activities of the residents and Russell would love to have the Phanatic come and visit with them.” The Phanatic entertained the residents with his trademark antics and helped out with other pep rally activities; handing out hot dogs, pretzels, and cake, as well as raffle prizes. The center also took the opportunity to recognize Moyer’s upcoming wedding anniversary. He and his wife, Evelyn, 94, will celebrate their 73rd wedding anniversary on September 10, 2010.
Special thanks to Univest Corporation who sponsored the visit by the Phanatic and to Hatfield Quality Meats for donating a grill and hot dogs. Their mascot, Smiley the Pig also made a special appearance. In addition, Twilight Wish would also like to thank Bill and Janet Haines, the Majestic Clubhouse Store at Citizen’s Bank Park, the Philadelphia Phillies, Philly Pretzel Factory of Lansdale, and Walmart of Harleysville for their donations and support in making this wish a reality.
JROTC Students Honor Veterans at Flag Day Celebration
/in Top StoriesJunior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) cadets from the Philadelphia School District, in conjunction with Doylestown-headquartered nonprofit Twilight Wish Foundation and several private donors, granted the simple wishes of 120 residents of the Philadelphia Veterans Community Living Center on Flag Day, Monday, June 14, 2010.
JROTC cadets from five schools in the Philadelphia School District raised funds over the past few months to grant the wishes of Veterans at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center. Many of the wishes were for simple items, including radios, drawing supplies, slippers, strawberry Ensure, and a cross for over one Veteran’s bed. A group of JROTC cadets and Twilight Wish staff and volunteers visited the center and distributed the gifts on Flag Day. Prior to the gift distribution, the JROTC Color Guard did a flag presentation and brief ceremony and local singer and songwriter Lisa Graham and her daughter Haley performed several patriotic numbers. The wish granting event was featured on CBS 3’s Brotherly Love.
Our first wish: Margaret’s wish for headstone for her son’s grave is granted
/in Fulfilled Wishes, Top StoriesOn January 16, 2004, Twilight Wish granted the first wish to Margaret Turner, a nursing home resident in Pennsylvania. Margaret’s son, Isiah, had passed away suddenly and tragically. Because she could not afford the cost of a tombstone, she was forced to bury him in an unmarked grave. When Twilight Wish founder, Cass Forkin, heard Margaret’s sad story, she immediately began to work on making this wish come true. With the help of volunteers and donors, including DeChristopher Brothers who donated the gravestone, Margaret’s wish came true on a cold, snowy morning.