Dan

Curley
Wishing Star
139 S. Sherman
Spokane, WA 99202
(509)-744-3411
dcurley@wishingstar.org

Ray Angle
Assistant Vice President for Career & Professional Development
502 E. Boone Ave.
Spokane, WA 99258
(509)-313-4086
angle@gonzaga.edu


Dear Ray,

In April 2018, Wishing Star will be hosting its 13th Annual Send a Friend a Goat Fundraiser
in the greater Spokane area. Wishing Star is a community funded, 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization dedicated to supporting sick children and their families within the Spokane
community. Wishing Star’s mission is to foster hope, community, and lasting memories by
granting wishes for children with life-threatening conditions and supporting their families
beyond the wish. The Send a Friend a Goat Fundraiser is an important event that helps
grant wishes to children and families in need in the greater Spokane area.

During the week of April 16th- 20th, participants can pay to send a goat to an unsuspecting
friend and then that person has to make a donation in order to send the goat to someone
else. There are two ways to send a goat: Make a onetime donation of $50 or join our
monthly giving program at a minimum donation of $10 a month. The fundraiser is
composed of two weeklong fundraisers, one located in Spokane, the other in the Tri-Cities.
In the past, this fundraiser alone has brought in between $25,000 to $40,000 in donations.
This year Wishing Star has 50 teams of volunteers in the Spokane community and 10 of
those teams volunteered to work each day of the five-day event.

Enclosed, I have included a media kit to provide more detail on the history, programs and
upcoming Send a Friend a Goat Fundraiser for Wishing Star. The following are included:
• Media Release • Feature Story • Fact Sheet • Newsletter • Backgrounder • Brochure

Please feel free to contact me for more information you may need at (509)-744-3411or my
email, dcurley@wishingstar.org. I will follow up within the next week in the hopes of
promoting the Send a Friend a Goat Fundraiser on campus one week prior to the event. I
look forward to speaking with you soon. Thank you for your time and consideration.


Sincerely,

Dan Curley
Executive Director


 Dan Curley
Wishing Star
139 S. Sherman
Spokane, WA 99202
(509)-744-3411
dcurley@wishingstar.org

For Immediate Release
6 February 2018
Kelsie McKenna
502 E Boone Ave.
Spokane, WA 99258
(425)-463-6969
Kmckenna2@zagmail.gonzaga.edu


WISHING STAR SEND A FRIEND A GOAT
Changing Lives, One Wish at a Time

Spokane, WA 6 February 2018- Wishing Star Foundation is teaming up

with local farmers for their annual Send a Friend a Goat Fundraiser. During the

week of April 16th-20th 2018, a donation to Wishing Star will send a baby goat to a

recipient in the greater Spokane area. Once the goat is delivered, the recipient will

be asked to make a donation to Wishing Star to pay for the removal of the goat. The

same event will be held in the Tri-Cities during the week of May 7th-11th 2018.

“What makes us unique is that when we grant the wish, that’s the first part,

once a wish family, always a wish family. We want to wrap our arms around every

child that has ever come through wishing star and support them indefinitely,” said

Dan Curley, Wishing Star’s Executive Director.

-More-


Wishing Star
139 S. Sherman Spokane, WA
99202
(509)-744-3411

 Participants in the Send a Friend a Goat Fundraiser donated over $50,000

last year and this year Wishing Star plans to exceed that amount. Donations will

have a direct impact on the children of the Spokane community and will significantly

improve the lives of families who have a child with a life-threatening illness. Over

1,260 wishes have been granted through the organization and with the help of this

fundraiser many more will be granted in the future.

Wishing Star is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission to “foster

hope, community, and lasting memories by granting wishes for children ages 3 to 21

with life-threatening illnesses and support their families beyond the wish”. Wishing

Star was founded by Ed and Karen Kurowski after the heartbreaking death of a first-

grade boy who passed away from brain cancer. The couple wanted to add some

special quality of life to terminally ill children and as a result Wishing Star was

established in 1983. This October marks the 35th anniversary of the organization

and Wishing Star plans to host a celebration to honor it. Members of the Spokane

community will be able to come together and celebrate the organization and all of

the wishes that have been granted.

For more information about Wishing Star and the Send a Friend a Goat

Fundraiser, please contact Dan Curley at dcurley@wishingstar.org or at (509)-744-

3411.

###

Wishing Star
139 S. Sherman Spokane, WA
99202
(509)-744-3411



 Wishing Star Foundation 2018 Backgrounder
About Us:
Established in 1983, Wishing Star Foundation grants wishes to children with life
threatening illnesses between the ages of 3 and
21, living in Spokane, the Tri-Cities
and local outlying areas.
Wishing Star is a 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization. It is dependent on individual gifts,
fundraising, donations, grants and memorials.
Wishing star does not receive funds from the government, and only 5% of total funds go
towards administrative costs.
Besides making the wish experience one of the most memorable times in a child’s life,
we believe that “once a wish family, always a wish family.” We continue to support
these families who care for medically fragile children. We provide tickets to fun
opportunities knowing that these families struggle emotionally and financially.

History of Wishing Star:
Ed and Karen Kurowski established the Wishing Star
Foundation in 1983. A first grade boy in their
community passed away from brain cancer, and a feeling
of helplessness stayed with the couple for years. They
wanted to know what they could have done to improve
the quality of his short life, and the answer came to them
in the founding of Wishing Star. This allowed them to
legally grant the wishes of terminally ill children. After a
few years they decided to change the requirement from
“terminally ill” to “life threatening illnesses” which made the program available to more
children whose lives were in turmoil due to illness.




Mission:
Wishing Star’s mission is to foster hope, community, and lasting memories by granting
wishes for children with life-threatening conditions and supporting their families
beyond the wish.

Board of Directors:
The board now consists of nine individuals who work diligently to ensure that the
Wishing Star Foundation is functioning in the most effective way to grant the maximum
number of wishes possible. Current board members include Ken Oakland- chair,
Richard Hendershot- vice chair, Mike Schafer- secretary, Brian Wagnon- treasurer,
Jason Gray- Black Law PLLC, Megan Nichols- Eagle Strategies, Marva Ulleland-
Northwest Farm Credit Services, John Henker and Mike Helmberger

Wishes:
Wishing Star Foundation grants wishes to children with life threatening illnesses
throughout Eastern and Central Washington and Idaho. Wishing Star’s mission includes
providing kids with hope through uplifting and rejuvenating experiences in contrast to
the sadness and frustration they feel while ill. Wishes provide a break from everyday
challenges, and studies have shown that children who receive the promise of a wish
participate better in their treatment plan and have an overall better outlook on life.
On average, Wishing Star grants 40 wishes a year. Every week Wishing Star’s service
area, another child is being diagnosed with a life threatening illness. In order to better
serve the community, a Circle of Friends Monthly Giving Campaign was created to
increase the Foundation’s outreach and to ensure that each sick child is being found and
served.
Within the last 30 years over 1,230 wishes have been granted. Wishes are unique to
each individual, depending on what each child likes or needs. Some common wishes
include trips to Disneyworld, therapy rooms, van lifts, and swimming with dolphins.
Some unique wishes include riding in a NASCAR, meeting an origami master, attending
New York Fashion week, and getting married!


Making a Referral:
The following criteria must be met in order for a child to qualify for a wish:
• Must be between the ages of 3 to 21
• The child must have a life threatening or life shortening illness
• Permanent residence must be in Spokane, the Tri-Cities or a local
outlying area
You may refer a child online through our website (wishingstarfoundation.org), or speak
with a representative over the phone. To determine whether a child is eligible for a
wish, Wishing Star works closely with the parents and doctor of the child.

Wish Process:
• Fill out a referral form for the child
• Program Director receives referral form and sends initial contact paperwork to
the family.
• Family returns paperwork, which includes authorization to speak with child’s
doctor.
• A qualification form is sent to the child’s doctor. This form determines whether
the child is eligible to receive a wish. Once the qualification form is returned the
family is notified of the results.
• If the child is approved, Wishing Star pairs trained volunteers, also known as
Wish Conductors, with the family.
• Wish Conductors have a wish visit with the family where they get to know the
child and their passions. Hopefully, a wish can be determined after the visit.
Once the Executive Director approves the wish, the family is notified.
• Due to the uniqueness of each wish, the remainder of the process varies from
child to child.

Funding:
An average wish costs about $5,000. With that $5,000, Wishing Star leverages
another $3,500 into the community through in-kind goods and services. Wishing
Star funds wishes through fundraisers, individual and business contributions, and
 planned giving. Eighty-six cents out of every donated dollar goes directly towards
granting wishes.

Beyond the Wish:

Wishing Star believes that “Once a wish family, always a wish family”. This means
that even after a family has received a wish, Wishing Star works to provide
opportunities for that family throughout the year. This can include the annual
carrousel party, tickets to a sporting event, or any other outing that brings families
together in order to create lasting memories.
Wishing Star sponsors several wish family events every year and any wish family is
welcome. This includes people waiting for their child’s wish to be granted, those
who had a wish granted in the past, and families whose child has passed away.

Getting Involved:
Wishing Star is completely funded through general donations, business
contributions, and fundraising. You can register to donate a certain amount of
money per month, or just donate a general contribution once.
You can chose to sponsor an event, which includes helping fund an event or creating
one of your own in order to bring in cash. Third party fundraisers are also a vital
part of Wishing Star’s income. This can include anything from a car wash to a golf
tournament. You can do this by downloading a WS-Third Party Fundraising form
online and submitting it for approval. This is a great way to give back to the
community and help grant the wishes of sick children.

Volunteering:
Over 350 people volunteer within the Wishing Star Foundation’s service area.
Volunteers help at events, assist in granting wishes, and provide help organizing at
the office. This includes spending time with the children during their wish process,
helping research and prepare ideas for making wishes happen, making connections
within the community, and spreading Wishing Star’s mission.

###
 Goats, Pranks and Ultimately a Good Cause

By Frances Boyle

The Wishing Star Foundation is known for their generosity, kind hearts,

willingness to take risks, but most importantly their creativity. Thirteen years ago,

in Spokane, Washington, Wishing Star Foundation wanted to come up with the idea

for an incentive to get people to donate, raise

awareness and also have fun at the same time. The

Send a Friend a Goat Campaign was born, and has

been commencing every April since. Through this

campaign, a donation of 50 dollars or joining the

Wishing Star Foundation’s monthly giving

program, will allow one to send a baby goat to a recipient of their choice anywhere

from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the active week. The recipient will then be able to

donate any amount of their choice to have the goat removed. It is also possible to

purchase “Goat Insurance,” meaning that if someone donates 100 dollars, they are

protected from all goat pranking. Wishing Star Foundation Volunteer, Amy Smith

describes it by saying, “Send a Friend a Goat is a great opportunity to play a one-of-

a-kind practical joke on your coworkers of friends.” This campaign is unlike any

other and is fun for all, while supporting and bringing awareness to a great cause.

The Wishing Star Foundation was established in 1983 and has since then

been working tirelessly to bring a shining light to children experiencing darkness.

Based out of Spokane, Wishing Star’s mission, according to Smith is, “We foster

hope, community, and lasting memories by granting wishes for children with life-
threatening conditions and supporting their families beyond the wish.” They strive

to help children who are between the ages of 3-21 and are a resident of the Spokane,

the Tri-Cities or outlying areas. Through the mission they live and work by, Smith

works along with Executive Director, Dan Curly

and the Program Director, Andrea Kilgore who

are and constantly working to build and expand

the company to grant as many wishes as they

possibly can. To date, they have been able to grant

over 1,260 wishes.

Smith commented about recent fundraisers, “We’ve been very blessed by

how much turnout we get every year. Last year, we were able to raise over

$27,000!” These baby goats have been sent all over Spokane, ranging from a local

coffee shop to Gonzaga University to KXLY news. The money raised by all the goat

pranking is put directly back in to the foundation

to help grant wished for children, and to offer

some ease back into their hectic lives. Many of

the wish children are granted wishes that take

some of the pressure off of every day struggles.

Improving the lives of these children with life

threatening illnesses offers relief to not only the children but the parents as well.

Having a child with a disability can be a challenge for the whole family. The Send a

Friend a Goat Campaign holds the highest amount of money raised for the

organization and is absolutely necessary to the success and functions for Wishing
Star. According to Smith, “The average wish costs about $5,000.” This campaign

contributes to many of the wishes granted throughout the year.

This wishes range anywhere from a trip to Hawaii, to help with college

tuition, to modifications to a home for assisted living. Anything to help a child in

need. An average child may wish for a trip to Disneyland, the latest technology or

the most popular toy, but for a child confined

to a wheelchair or some physical disability, a

gift of a home modification or a ramp may be

much more impactful and meaningful to how

they go through life. Smith says, “one in five of

our Wishing Star families have been granted a

wish that eases their daily struggles.” For a

child with a life-threatening, feeling of

dependency can be frustrating and hurt the child’s self-esteem. This was true for

twelve-year-old, Ashley.

Ashley was born with a condition that restricted her to a wheelchair, making

everyday tasks a difficulty to achieve on her own. Not only did this restrict her with

things like going to the bathroom or getting dressed, but also coming in and out of

the house. As a result, Ashley felt discouraged to leave the house and often stayed in

doors. Thanks to the funds raised by the Send a Friend a Goat event, Ashley was able

to be granted her dream wish. Ashley asked for ramps to be built into her home, to

make coming in and out that much easier on her and her family. Ashley’s mother

thanked Wishing Star, saying “In each day there are challenges and triumphs. That
day was a huge triumph.” A wish that may seem simple or miniscule, makes all the

difference in a struggling child’s life. The funds raised for Ashley and her family and

the gift given made all the difference for them. Navigating the world as a child with a

disability is a challenge. Wishing Star seeks to eliminate any of those challenges

when possible.

The wish doesn’t stop there though. Many families return to Wishing Star

often, to show their gratitude. The Wishing Star Foundation makes a point to stay in

contact with each family they interact with. Their motto is “Once a Wish Family,

Always a Wish Family.” Ashley and her family

make it a priority to give back to the

organization that has given them so much. She

comments, “It’s so amazing to find an

organization that aligns so well with our needs,

and are willing to give so generously. We are

eternally grateful and want to do whatever we

can to help future wish children.” Each year,

Ashley and her family attend the Send a Friend a

Goat Campaign, as it takes around 80 volunteers

to make the magic happen. Ashley and her family

are not the only ones that give back to benefit future wish children. This annual

event is fun, inclusive and raises money and awareness for a great cause. Ashley’s

mother comments, “It’s such a high spirited event for such a good purpose, the

whole family is happy to help!”

 This event helps brings great accomplishments and helps many struggling

children each year, so it is crucial that the event not only commences annually, but

goes smoothly and successfully. Amy Smith explains, “As a non-profit, we pretty

much rely on those donations to keep our organization going. Anything helps, but

this campaign is typically our biggest source of funding.” As the Send a Friend a Goat

Campaign has helped the Wishing Star Foundation grant an abundance of wishes,

they are confident in the campaign’s continued success for years to come. This

campaign offers many opportunities to get involved, from donating, joining their

monthly giving program, or sending a goat!