Make-A-Wish: Andi Ritcher

Since joining Chi Omega, I️ loved that our philanthropy was Make-A-Wish. Hearing stories about the amazing wishes they grant for kids, seeing pictures and videos of kids smiling, and knowing that the money raised at our philanthropy events contributed to granting a child’s wish brought me so much joy. It wasn’t until I started work as a Nanny for a local Waco family, the Copps, that I was able to have a personal connection and see, first hand, the impact that Make-A-Wish has had on this family.

The Copps have two of the most amazing boys, Calan who is 9, and Lawson who is 5. Both boys were born with a rare mitochondrial condition and use wheelchairs to get around. The family got connected with Make- A- Wish North Texas and Calan was able make his wish (Lawson will make his wish once he is a little older). After much contemplation, Calan decided to wish for a place where he could play with all of his friends. Like most 9 year olds, Calan loves to play outside, but he has never had a place to do so because of the lack of accessible parks and playgrounds in our area. The wish granters at Make-A-Wish worked hard with the Copp family to ensure that their new and fully accessible backyard would be perfect for the boys. After months of planning and building, the backyard was finished and it was more than the Copps could have ever imagined! It features a large, flat turf area, an air-conditioned playhouse, and even a wheelchair racetrack! Calan and Lawson now have a safe place to play and be the extraordinary kids they are. Witnessing their utter joy when they finally got to play outside with no limitations was absolutely incredible. Without Make-A-Wish, none of this would have been possible. Seeing the happiness and freedom Make-A-Wish has given to the Copp family and knowing that wishes like Calan’s are being granted all the time is truly amazing. Thanks to Make-A-Wish, Calan and Lawson will now have a place to play forever! I am proud to be a member of a sorority that supports a worthwhile organization like Make-A-Wish!