Elitch Gardens will open its gates for free to more than 3,500 students on Wednesday to celebrate their fundraising efforts for the
Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Colorado's Kids for Wish Kids program.
This is the second year the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Elitch Gardens have teamed up to honor the fundraising efforts of the area's top money-making schools on a day aptly coined WISH Wednesday.
The area's top three fundraising high, middle and elementary schools, in addition to nearly 3,000 other participating students, will enter Elitch with a bang, literally. The East High School Drum Line will open a 9:30 a.m. ceremony that includes a performance by the Cherry Creek Dance Team and trophy and recognition award presentations. The drum line will then get things rolling, leading all of the kids into the park when it opens at 10 a.m.
All students at
Arapahoe High,
Fort Morgan Middle and
Trailblazer Elementary schools received free admission to the park. Elitch Gardens donated an additional 3,000 coupon tickets to those schools that met the Challenge 25- a competition for all Colorado schools to raise $2,500 in honor of Make-A-Wish Foundation of Colorado's 25 th Anniversary.
Arapahoe High, Fort Morgan Middle and Trailblazer Elementary schools will be recognized as the top three fundraising schools, donating $15,321.05 collectively. Arapahoe High School took top honors and broke their own record set last year, raising $11,715.58.
Mountain Vista High School in Highlands Ranch earned an Honorable Mention nod for raising more than $10,000 in their first year to adopt Danielle's wish to go to Disney World.
Nathan will also get to go to Disney World, thanks to the
Colorado Wildcats Baseball Clubin Colorado Springs. The team collected pledges for every run scored during their 2008 season, and their efforts will also be honored during WISH Wednesday's opening ceremony.
Four current Wish Kids are planning to attend the all-day fun day, but Arapahoe High School wish adoptee Marcus won't be one of them. Arapahoe High School sponsored Marcus' wish to visit Disney, which is where he'll be on Wednesday, fulfilling his dream to "have fun and go on all the rides."
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Colorado grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
Kids For Wish Kids®is a Make-A-Wish Foundation of Colorado program that enables students to discover philanthropy by selecting their own fundraising project and managing it from start to finish, with little or no help from their teachers, coaches or mentors.