Shopping Trip 1

(He didn't make it home with us but we loved him)

Last night was a night of little sleep. The first shopping trip brought forth feelings of Christmas Eve and feeling like an elf in Santa’s workshop. From spreadsheets to notecards, like Melissa mentioned, each wish goes through quite a process. I have a list that resembles, in my mind, what Santa keeps but no naughty or nice labels rather secret codes and specific wishes to be purchased.

I laid awake with excitement and anticipation (which will happen many many times during Wish season.) I was excited to get the opportunity to make wishes a realization and to experience Winter Wishes kicking off once again.

We left the bus parking lot this morning with 27 kids in tow and headed for a full day of shopping. The five adults on the bus huddled and began sharing stories of kids and wishes in the works. The kids did what kids do best and occupied the hour drive with laughter and electronics.

Our first stop was group lunch at Hideaway Pizza and then we shopped at Target, Dick’s, and Kohls. We started with over 79 wishes to shop for ranging from electronics, to candy, stuffed animals, to shoes. We spoke to our kids about putting thought into every item they select and to remember: one, be a good steward of the money that has been donated, and two, be respectful and thoughtful of each wish card and shop with fellow students in mind. It's important to us to respect the wish maker and the wish receiver. We really try to fulfil their vision and make kids happy.

One of the most rewarding things to witness is the love and pure joy in the eyes of a child as they personally select gifts for one another. Sometimes we have to send items back to the shelf for one reason or another and today having to tell kids to put a wish back on the shelf was hard (because they LOVE what they pick) but it needed to be done. We had to remind them of our goal and that it is early in the season and sometimes we have to shop around. However, Melissa and I loved the item too and as soon as it goes on sale - we are buying it!

Today went very well. Of course we had items that we couldn't find but we will find them. On the ride home I heard kids talking about how much they enjoy shopping for wishes. I had a child beg me to let him shop online for one wish we couldn't find today and beg me to allow him to be the wish deliverer. Another child told me which business I should call to fill certain wishes. Our kids take great pride in this program and put their whole heart into it. One day they may not remember much about middle school but I am nearly certain they will remember days like today and the feeling they have during Wish Week.

So in closing - the kids are struggling with having to wait until mid December to deliver these wishes. They already can't stand the thought of waiting that long and I am feeling a little down that today is winding down. Winter Wishes is a lot of work but it is fulfilling and rewarding. These are the moments that fill my soul so I am thankful for all of the donors that make this possible and for the amazing kids, adults, and my co-sponsor/friend that I get to share these experiences with.

Winter Wish shopping trip #1 of 2017 is officially in the books!

Listening to Our Hearts

Tomorrow is our first big shopping day. We will take our Student Council kids out to several stores to shop for Wishes. I always say there's no such thing as a secret in a middle school so we take great care to be sure that each name and wish are unknown to our student shoppers. The index card above doesn't look like much but the code 6-3 means something to Anita and I and the item the kids will shop for is a bag of Sour Patch Kids candy. But this card means so much more. It means a kid took the time to make a wish for another kid and they knew them well enough to know what candy would make them happy. Some teachers read that wish and it was written in a way that it caught their eye and they made that bag of candy a priority. Then someone donated money so the candy could be purchased. A kid will shop for it, an adult will check it out at the store, it will be sorted at school, and then taken to our wrapper who wraps each wish with great care. Then it will be sorted again then one day it will be delivered. At some point when all the wishes are wrapped and before they are delivered it will be prayed over. So what looks like a simple bag of candy on a notecard is really so much more. Some wishes may have a heftier price tag but the same process will happen for each wish whether it's a low cost or high cost item. An equal amount of love, care, and concern goes into every single wish that is granted. 

It is our hope to try to reach and teach our student shoppers as well. We put them in teams. Typically a 6th, 7th, and 8th grader are on each team. We teach them to comparison shop but also to think about what product a fellow student would like to receive. We try to teach them to be good stewards of the money we have raised and to find joy in shopping for others. It should be a great day and a day we try to do small things that maybe will somehow make the world a better place. It sounds like a lot but we have the world's greatest kids.  

Yesterday I had cafeteria duty. It's a job I dislike. Throughout my 19 years in education I have listed it as my most unfavorite task. But somehow some of the most memorable moments of my career happen while I'm on duty. For instance early in my career, like year 2 or 3, I saw a kid 25 feet away step on a mustard packet and I saw that mustard fly in super slo-mo across the room until it landed splat on my brand new dark green suede jacket. I remember that moment but that's the least profound memory I have over the years of lunch duty.  Back to yesterday, as I was walking along the long tables I saw one kid out of over 300 and thought to myself did I put that one on the list?  One of my favorite partnerships we have with Winter Wishes is with Crossroads Baptist Church. They do an Angel Tree and always ask the middle school for names to put on it. What we learned last year is that our kids through their wishes give us a good indication of  who might need a little extra love during the holidays. The church goes all out finding things kids want and need. We turned in some names earlier in the week and I thought I turned this student in. But seeing her in the cafeteria my mind immediately wandered is she on the list. I pulled out my phone and checked the email to see if she made the list. She hadn't. I sent an email to our counselor and asked her to add this student. This kid wasn't on my radar but she had been put on my heart. I don't believe in coincidence but I do believe in listening to the still small voice and I do believe in answered prayers. That's why we pray every night for the right students and wishes to be placed on our hearts. Because missing one that has a need or just needs encouragement in our book that would be failing. We don't want a single need to fall through the cracks. So if you sre reading this and are of the praying type please join us in that prayer. 

I should sleep. Tomorrow will be a big and fun day. 

Melissa E. 

Awesome Community

We are still reading wishes and we are still praying daily that the right wishes are laid on our hearts and the means to fulfill them are there.  We met with a local business today and they gave us a donation and talked to us about some of the out of the box wishes they might be able to help us grant.  Our Community Champions have reached out to us with ways they can help too. Then a former student walked in my classroom door with a  donation from him and his family.  Every donation I'm thankful for and they humble me but when I see my "kids" giving back to their community it makes my heart swell with gratitude.  Education in Oklahoma has been tough for a few years  so to know we are in a community where people are working so hard to make sure our programs are successful and are kids are taken care of is an indescribable feeling and we are so grateful.

Reaching Out Day

Wish World Update from Anita West

There is something about the shower that opens the mind and it is when for many of us our greatest mental work happens. During this morning's shower, I literally got lost in wish world and shut the water off only to wonder if I had even completed the normal showering tasks of washing my hair, etc. If I begin to look like I participate in No Shave November and maybe even December, you all will know that I have been Winter Wish showering again.

The outcome of my thought provoking shower is yet to be a realization but Melissa and I can't wait to present our ideas to the right people. It's so invigorating to take these wishes, build on them, and to feel like they may actually happen. It's even more exciting when a wish builds on a dream and shows students their dreams and desires are achievable.

Today was a day of reaching out and asking for help. We shared several wishes and asked people if they want to be a part of our program. We know that nothing is too big to ask for in the name of a child’s wish and kindness.

For example, I received an email early this evening from a BIG organization who said the wish I sent to him today touched his heart. There is something tender and innocent about a child's words that draws people in. This company is excited to help and we are beyond thrilled that Winter Wishes 2017 is being blessed just the way it was last year.

In closing, acts of kindness truly spread and make our world better. We see it daily at EMS. Please pray for continued blessings and for people to read/see our mail, messages, and videos. We know that if we can spread our story and share the hearts of our students, wishes will be granted!

On a less serious note: If anyone knows Ellen and has a direct line, we are dying to talk to her. Every time the phone rings we jokingly ask if it's her. Oprah’s number would be nice too if you happen to have it. We aren't picky about who shares the story of our kids!

Each Day Brings New Opportunities

Melissa Evon writing again:
We think we are ahead of where we were last year in wish shopping and fundraising.  But we still just don't know what "Wish Week" will look like.  The wishes have been read at least twice so far.  Most of them are on their third or fourth read.  This is when things start to really make sense to us.  When we begin to see what kids are trying to tell us through their wishes.  We are already at the point that each day fills our eyes with tears.  Sometimes it's the way a kid wrote a wish that brings on the waterworks, sometimes it's a donation, and sometimes it's someone we have reached out to answering with a "yes".

We have already reached the point where we wake up thinking about wishes and brainstorming what can be done.  A former student reached out to me today about making a donation.  He commented that he and his wife were impressed with the program.  I told him that we really like giving kids stuff but we really love to give them experiences.  Today we worked on those experiences.  We have reached out to corporations, governments, professional singers, and professional athletes today.  Numerous emails have been made.  Then we wait and we check our emails a lot.  We dream big in the wish think tank.  For every 50 emails we send we might get 5 responses and maybe 3 maybes with 3 leads on granting a wish but often those maybes turn into a yes and it keeps us going and keeps us writing and still believing that anything is possible when it comes to granting wishes of EMS kids.  We got two great responses today.

Every time we get a "yes we can help you response" I get THRILLED.  I always have to tell somebody.  During wish season it's not uncommon to hear "don't tell Evon, you know she can't keep a wish a secret."  Well I can't keep it a secret and when they allow me to tell just a few teachers I'm good.  It's all pure joy and I just can't keep that to myself.  Oh and any season but wish season I am a good secret keeper.  Winter Wishes just effects me in a profound way! So I would love to write about today's joy and secrets but I can't.  If anyone reads this, just remind me after December 20th to talk about music, a corporation, and a lady I know.

Only 36 days until Wish Week "officially" begins!

A Good Day

Melissa Evon is here writing again:
Since our first wish was granted this year we've been at work sorting wishes and working on ways to pull things off.  Some wishes cost us nothing but many wishes have a monetary value involved.  So we are always raising money.  This year we tried something new as a fundraiser, we decided to host a Halloween dance for families at the elementary school.  In preparation we made flyers and posters and posted on social media. We bought decorations and lots of concessions and had student council kids and faculty members all there to work. We opened the doors and were very excited to welcome the families.  Well the families that came had a great time but unfortunately not many came.  It worried me and even depressed me a little.  I was counting on us raising around $1,000 for Winter Wishes that night and instead we went in the hole.  We have been working to break even by selling the left over concessions at school during the day.

Then today happened.  An elementary principal walked in my classroom and handed me a really soft teddy bear that was holding a rose and wearing some kind of necklace.  He also handed me a card and said someone had brought it to him this morning as a donation for Winter Wishes.  Then he handed me an envelope.  I opened the envelope that held a check written to Winter Wishes for $1,000.  There it was, the money I was convinced we needed to raise.  I opened the card and realized everything was from a group of kids called Mission Kidz from a local church.  They had written in the card that they were praying for our wishes and signed their name.  There were 72 of them and the necklace around the bears neck when I opened the "locket" it said 72 praying.  The money was generous put those prayers are priceless to us.  I got to share all of this with 28 kids who were sitting in my classroom.

Lots of wishes often seem "pie in the sky" to us.  But we try, with enthusiasm, anyway.  We probably send 5 or more emails or Facebook messages a day to celebrities.  Some are A list celebrities and some are more like G or H list but if they are a big deal to our kids then they are a big deal to us.  I almost feel bad for the people who work for the Ellen show, I think I write them at least once a week.  Well recently I wrote to a little known "celebrity" and kindly asked them to do something nice for one of our kids.  Today they wrote back!  They are in and are doing something great for a kid who is sweet and kind and I can hardly wait for Wish Week for the world to find out.

Anita and I spent a couple of hours sitting in the lobby of the gym tonight with a donation jar for anyone who wanted to donate.  We only raised about $12 but we got to talk to some parents about our kids and some of their wishes.  One parent told us that this upcoming Saturday is her daughter's most favorite day of the year.  It's the day we take student council kids to go shopping for some of the wishes.  That made me happy knowing our kids are "all in".

After that we stopped by a local business because one of my former students from years ago found out about Winter Wishes on Facebook and asked me to meet up with her so she could make a donation.  I haven't seen her in nearly 17 years and it was great to see her again and then she gave me a donation and said she knew it was going to a good cause.  Every donation is generous and a big deal, but when it comes from one of "my kids" well it is just takes on even more meaning for me.  It's good to see my kids grown up, successful, and paying forward kindness.

It's time to tweak a wish spreadsheet so that's all for now.  It's been a good day.

What's Happening in the Wish World?

Melissa Evon here.
Anita and I get asked what's going on with Winter Wishes all the time.  It's a question that brings instant joy and terror all at the same time.  We've decided to blog about Winter Wishes this year because there's so much emotion, so many back stories, and so much joy that can be spread with the program if people have the opportunity to see the bigger picture.

Where to start: this blog will often be raw emotion by whoever is posting.  Please don't judge us for grammatical or typographical errors.  This is a way for us to have a record of what goes on with Winter Wishes.  We started the program last year with no vision.  Our kids made wishes and the adults raised money.  The program took on a life of its own.  Because of the generosity of our community and a whole lot of divine intervention over 700 wishes were granted.  This blog will be a way to tell the stories of our kids.  They make the wishes and they do an incredible job because they know needs and they know kindness and they know whose day to brighten.  They are the holders and writers of the stories.  The adults involved in this, we just kind of facilitate where we can.  We raise the money and we pray that God will place the right kids and the right wishes on our hearts so that we can make things happen.  Know that no adult involved in Winter Wishes believes the program belongs to us. 

Because of the success of last year's program people often say "I can't wait to see what Winter Wishes does this year."  Anita and I always answer it all depends on what the kids wish.  Our kids have written their wishes.  We are in the process of wading through them all and teachers are in the process of trying to put them in an order.  We've given each grade level a budget based on the money we have raised so far and they are choosing what to do with that budget. 

Two weeks ago 7th grade reading teacher Rachel Ezell noticed a trend with some wishes.  Several 7th grade boys had wished for their special needs teammate to score a touchdown at the final football game.  Fortunately we had about 10 days to see what we could do.  Rachel got to work contacting coaches.  She reached out to a former employee of EMS who happens to now teach at the school where the opposing team was coming from.  Wouldn't you know it that teacher teaches across the hall from the coach.  Things often happen this way for Winter Wishes, the pieces just fall into place.  I know where that comes from.  Anyway I just "happened" to get an email from a local news reporter asking me to let him know of wishes this year that he could come out for because he really enjoyed the ones he came out for last year.  So we let him in on this football wish and we let in a local newspaper reporter too.  Those two guys do an incredible job of telling our story so we really appreciate them every time they show up.

So if we could pull it off this football wish would be the first wish of Winter Wishes 2017. A bunch of faculty members showed up at the game. We were nervous.  Did the kids know what to do?  Did the refs? Did the opposing team remember?  We waited and waited for the clock to run down since the wish was supposed to happen right at the end of the game.  We all got in position for photos and videos and the coach had the boys in the huddle and they lined up and gave Greg the ball and he ran and he scored and the crowd went wild.  It was magical but the best part was those boys who rushed Greg and congratulated him and loved him.  There was kindness and love on that field.  They had one last team meeting in the end zone then Greg was given a special game ball signed by all the players.  Then the interviews started and the other boys stood there and watched so happy for Greg.  It's moments like this that we see kids at their best.  In the hallways and classrooms we don't always see kindness but something about Winter Wishes truly does bring out the greatness in our kids. 
I'm posting one of my favorite photos from the night.  Greg is happy, the reporter is happy, and Sully (one of the boys that made the wish) is so happy too. 

Something else I love about Winter Wishes is how it spreads joy to others.  The Channel 7 reporter told us it was the greatest story he's ever covered.  Knowing our kids shared joy with him, well using Greg's words "It's Awesome".

Here's the link to the Channel 7 story  http://www.kswo.com/story/36621443/elgin-player-scores-inspiring-touchdown