The Chartway Promise Foundation celebrated a successful series of events this month in partnership with Make-A-Wish Utah.
On Monday, March 18, the kick-off event was Utah Promise Night at the Maverik Center, where multiple wish families and Chartway Promise Foundation partners watched the Utah Grizzlies’ hockey team take on the Norfolk (Va.) Admirals. The Promise Heroes were treated to Taco Madness, all the churros they could eat and a special visit from mascot Grizzbee. For many of the children, it was their first hockey game and with the tight score, they stayed until the end, despite it being a school night.
Then, on Tuesday, March 19, Chartway team members and community volunteers assembled 250 activity bags for Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital of Utah as part of our commitment to deliver 1,000 activity bags to the hospital this year. As we dropped off a truckload of bags, the donation coordinator expressed great appreciation for the activity bags saying they will really help alleviate some of the stress faced by children and their parents while in the emergency department.
The penultimate event, a closely held surprise, was a Wish Reveal on Wednesday, March 20. Make-A-Wish Utah and the Chartway Promise Foundation revealed a dream come true for 7-year-old Kara of West Valley. Kara, who is battling cancer and is currently on a treatment break from chemotherapy, had her wish to visit Disney World during Halloween as well as the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, granted in a special ceremony at Chartway Credit Union’s Salt Lake Crossing branch. At first a little shy at the event, her 4-year-old brother Grayson expressed enough excitement and enthusiasm for them both. After the wish proclamation and a gift basket containing some of Kara’s favorite things, she warmed up to the crowd of well-wishers and enjoyed cookies, balloons and being the center of attention.
“This is so amazing. We have something to look forward to, we get to celebrate,” said Kara’s mother, Heather. “Everything is planned for us, and we just get to go have fun. We are so grateful to Chartway and Make-A-Wish.”
Kara’s father, Jose, was visibly emotional when he shared, “It means the world. I'm sure every father does their best to give their kids everything that they hope for and that they dream of, but sometimes you're not able to. So, when the world comes together to help your child's dream come true, honestly, it's without words.”
“We’re grateful to be here bringing joy, hope, and smiles to children in the hospital and making Kara and many other medically fragile children’s wishes come true through our donors’ generosity,” said Christine Wilson, president of the Chartway Promise Foundation.
“A wish reveal is an exciting part of the wish journey, which is why the support and partnership of Chartway Promise Foundation, our largest corporate partner, is so critical,” explained Discussing Wednesday’s Daniel Dudley, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Utah.