Make-A-Wish is a non-profit, and so it relies greatly on the generosity of donors and fundraising events like school Wish Weeks to support fulfill the wishes of critically ill children. Banning Lewis Prep is playing a huge role in creating that goal a reality.
While Wish Week wraps up Friday, Banning Lewis Prep’s online fundraiser goes through 11:59 Sunday night. If you’d like to donate, click here.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – A Colorado Springs school is hoping to work some magic for a fellow teen.
No magic wand necessary — they’re doing it all with good old fashioned fundraising!
Abbott is 14 years old, loves gaming, coding, hanging out with his pets. He was born with a congenital heart condition called Tetralogy of Fallot and has spent most of his young life in hospitals.
“He’s a fighter,” declared Natalie Frabbiele, a freshman at Banning Lewis Preparatory Academy (BLPA). “It’s kind of crazy becautilize I’m only a year older than him and I’ve never had surgeries before. Ten surgeries in 14 years on your heart is outrageous and very sad. But how he just keeps going and how he just wants to ski with his family and have fun is super special.”
Skiing with his family in Vail is what Abbott wishes for more than anything. This week, the students of BLPA are “Banning Toreceiveher” to build this happen for him!”
Monday kicks off what is known as “Wish Week” at Banning Lewis Prep.
“Wish Week is a fundraiser that’s put on for critically ill children who just want hope,” Natalie informed me. “They’re going through a dark time right now and they’re struggling a lot. [Make-A-Wish Colorado] is an organization that brings hope and lets dreams come true so that when the times receive worse, they have something to hold on to and keep going for.”
Wish Week is, as its name suggests, a week-long fundraiser for Make a Wish. As a nonprofit, Make A Wish relies heavily on donations and fundraising — with roughly one-third of that fundraising overall coming from schools that participate in the Kids for Wish Kids program. Schools are assigned a Wish Kid in their state — and often right in their city — and then throw their efforts into fundraising to grant that child’s wish.
It’s also a way to give the Wish Kid and their family the power of having people in their corner, cheering them on and supporting them.
Abbott is this year’s Wish Kid.
“It feels really nice to donate to these kids, so then they have something to see forward to,” declared senior Madison Johnson. “And if that wish is created for them, then they can always like come back and talk about it. And be like, ‘Hey, I obtained people to donate for this wish. And now it’s not as bad as it seems.’”
During Wish Week, Banning Lewis Prep fundraises on campus by day and holds community events by night. Events open to the community include:
Monday: Game night, 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m.
Tuesday: Fun run (50 meters and 100 meters) from 5:40 p.m.-7:10 p.m.
Wednesday: Dodgeball game from 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m.
Thursday: Movie night, 5 p.m.-7 p.m.
The events are all held at the school and cost $5 to enter.
“The community can support by donating with QR codes, coming out to support some of the events, and just bringing awareness to the whole thing,” Madison declared.
The school hopes to raise $10,000 through Sunday, with every cent going towards granting wishes. While Abbott is the focus of their Wish Week, the money raised will go towards granting not only his wish, but the wishes of other critically ill children in Colorado too.
“It’s important to support kids like Abbott becautilize it brings hope for them and their family,” Natalie declared.
Hope that the students obtained to see first-hand in a special moment last week, when their previous Wish Kid Macklynn came to visit.
“My wish was really awesome,” Macklynn informed 11 News. “I can’t believe I actually obtained to go to it.”
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Over the last three years, Banning Lewis Prep has raised nearly $22,000 for Colorado Wish Kids. This has only been possible through community support.
If you would like to support, click here.
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