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EileenLetter from our Volunteer Director

Dear Future Magic Maker,

I want to thank you for your interest in volunteering for the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Maine. Volunteers are pure gold to the Make-A-Wish movement. As you may already know, the purpose of our Foundation is to grant the wishes of Maine children who are living with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy.
In order to determine your interest level, please use the following guidelines:

Class I volunteers are at least 21 years old and serve on an ongoing basis in one or more volunteer roles. Volunteers who are “wish granters” or who have access to chapter funds or confidential information must be Class I volunteers. Requirements for this position are:

If you are interested in becoming a Class I volunteer, we will proceed with reference and background checks when we receive your application. All volunteers will receive a card or letter confirming acceptance in our program and be put on a mailing list to receive our Make-A-Wish of Maine. Listen to an interview with a husband-wife wish granting team.

Class II volunteers serve the Make-A-Wish Foundation on a committee or project, or are under 21 years of age. Requirements for this position are:

Thanks again for you interest in Make-A-Wish of Maine!

Sincerely,
Eileen Chretien
Volunteer Director

View our wish granter gallery!


Training for New Wish Granters:

This is an all-day session for folks interested in joining our wish granting team. Wish granters go into the child's home in teams of two and help Make-A-Wish find out what the child's greatest wish might be. They then go about the enviable task of playing fairy godmother or godfather by making the time before the wish is granted a time of fun, delighting the child with any variety of surprises from pizza parties to giant stuffed teddy bears. Wish granters are also expected to help Make-A-Wish seek donated goods and services whenever possible.

At Wish Granting 101 you will learn what being a wish volunteer is all about and the responsibilities of this volunteer position. We will review and discuss the current policies and procedures for fulfilling a wish. You will also participate in interactive exercises with the goal of gaining insight into the wish granting process. You will also have the opportunity to meet with other wish volunteers who will be able to share their personal stories and experiences. We will even feed you lunch!

Recommitment Training: Nothing stays the same!
Many of you have been wish granters for a number of years. As with any job, particularly one which carries such an important mission, methods, ideas, philosophies change over the years. So it is with wish granting!

With the monetary constraints of this new age, we have been brain-storming ways in which we can keep - and increase - the magic of a child's greatest wish without increasing the costs. There are hundreds of little, beautiful ways to enhance a child's greatest wish that don't require money. Many of you have new, creative, wonderful ways in which you have granted wishes, and Kate Vickery, our wonderful Program Director, has some additional exciting ideas to share with you.

Please join us at the following sites for an important three-hour session in which we will share ideas and come together as a group with the common bond of bringing hope, strength and joy to your wish kids. Now, more than ever, kids need you and your magic in their lives. Our regulations dictate that all wish granters who attended training in 2006 will need to attend one of these sessions in order to continue wish granting. However, if you came to a training in 2007, we would strongly encourage you to join us, due to the many changes in policies that have occurred since then.

The following sessions are scheduled:

  • TBA

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