Volunteers hold the unwavering belief that every wish is possible and that wishes can change lives.
“If you want kids to believe anything is possible, you have to believe it yourself, and we don’t accept no – we never accept no,” says Vickie, who is branch president.
“And it’s fun, it’s so fun to dream big, and then you pull it off and it just makes everybody laugh because we made it happen.”
While research shows wishes can have multiple positive impacts that last well beyond the wish itself, Make-A-Wish Australia volunteers are also acutely aware of coming into a family’s life at the most challenging times.
“I think it’s a real privilege to bring hope and joy to a family at a time when they need it most. One of the most special moments is asking a child, ‘if you picked up a wand and waved it, what would you wish for?’, and then wait…” Vickie says.
“And once you have an answer, to draw out why.
“We encourage families to think what’s beyond impossible, and they stay with us for years and years.”
To bring Wishes to life, volunteers work alongside the Make-A-Wish Australia national office and fundraise extensively in the Barossa community. The Barossa branch has longstanding relationships with local businesses, including Seppeltsfield, Peter Lehmann, Calabria and The Co-Op, as well as not-for-profit organisations like Barossa Community Fundraisers for Cancer, Kiwanis Barossa Valley and Angaston & Districts Lions Club.
“We’re really good at what we do, and our local network is really strong,” says Vickie.