Joe B., 83, St. Clairsville, OH Joe, a WWII Veteran, would like to return to Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. He volunteered to serve his country at age 17 and became a parachutist ...
Rafael, 75, Kissimmee, FL Rafael wishes for a new laptop computer so he can keep in touch with family members in other states.
Mary Lou, 70, Valenica, CA Mary Lou loves to sing karaoke! She has performed for seniors centers and local charities. Her karaoke equipment is over 30 years old. Please help ...
Published on SilverPlanet.com (http://www.silverplanet.com) Granting Wishes for the Elderly Honoring seniors By Susan Hindman Created June 12, 2009 Introduction “Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.” Mother Teresa’s words grace the home page of the Twilight Wish Foundation, a somber reminder of the abject loneliness that the elderly often face when they become isolated by disease and location. Her words, too, are somewhat of a rallying cry for the foundation’s goal: to bring smiles, joy, and comfort to elders who have brought smiles to others, by granting them a wish.
You are invited to our OPEN HOUSE CELEBRATION. Twilight Wish recently moved our headquarters to 32 Union Street in Doylestown. Before you head into town for First Friday in June, stop by our new office for wine, hors d’oeuvres, and entertainment and meet our staff and volunteers and learn more about our organization.
Twilight Wish Foundation is a local nonprofit charity that grants wishes to deserving low-income elderly in our community. Twilight Wish has experienced exponential growth since our founding in 2003 and now has ten regional offices in ten states. In the past six years, Twilight Wish has had a measurable impact on the local community, in fact, granting 306 wishes to worthy Bucks County elderly. In just the past few months, several amazing wishes were granted locally including taking 12 wheelchair-bound residents of Neshaminy Manor to a Phillies game, building a walkway to the parking lot from their condo for an elderly Warminster couple who was basically housebound, and arranging a trip to Williamsburg with her grandson for a Doylestown resident in hospice care.
Join us Friday, June 5, 2009 (First Friday) from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at our new location at 32 Union Street, Doylestown, PA 18901.
Twilight Wish Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, charitable organization whose mission is to honor and enrich the lives of deserving elders through individual wish granting events. Special thanks to Memorable Affairs catering, Sand Castle Winery, and Courtney Colletti Music for donating the refreshments and entertainment to make our open house a success. For more information on Twilight Wish, visit our website at www.twilightwish.org or call 1-215-230-8777.
Welcome to our Twilight Wish Spring 2009 edition of Shining Moments where we honor and enrich the lives of deserving seniors through wish granting celebrations connecting generations.
Twilight Wish Foundation’s Western PA Chapter director, Cheryl Nemanic, recently received one of “The Best of Pittsburgh Awards” from the Women’s Small Business Association of Greater Pittsburgh. Nemanic was chosen to receive the Pittsburgh Community Service Award in recognition of her commitment to her community through her volunteer work for Twilight Wish Foundation. The award was presented to Nemanic at the WSBA luncheon on December 10, 2008.
Nemanic is the owner of Today’s Senior Resource, Inc., and www.TodaysSeniorResource.com, which she founded to help simplify the search for senior and caregiver resources in Southwestern PA. The website provides a one-stop shop for information on everything from transportation to housing, home care, crisis help, and much more. Nemanic dedicates her “spare” time and talents to volunteering as the director of the Western PA chapter of the Twilight Wish Foundation. In a short time, Nemanic has brought awareness of Twilight Wish to the area and has cultivated a growing and thriving Western PA chapter.
Twilight Wish’s Western PA chapter recently granted a wish for an elderly widow who needed help getting a headstone for her husband’s grave. Nemanic is currently working on granting another wish for a Pittsburgh senior who is losing her vision and would like a scan-to-read device to assist her in retaining as much independence as possible. Twilight Wish would not be able to continue its mission of enriching the lives of disadvantaged seniors by bringing them comfort and joy, without the help of volunteers, corporate and community involvement and donations. For more information on Twilight Wish Foundation, please visit the website at www.twilightwish.org or contact Cheryl Nemanic at (724) 712-5655.
Elderly widow, Anna Walling, a resident of Renaissance Gardens at Seabrook Village in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, had a reunion with her childhood friend from Scotland, thanks to national nonprofit, Twilight Wish Foundation.
Anna, 84, has known Margaret Zimmerman since they were young girls growing up together in Scotland. Sadly, Margaret is the only living link to Anna’s past, but lives in Erie, PA. Since her husband’s death in 1999, Anna has been in assisted living facilities, but had been active and involved, playing the piano for residents and for her church. Unfortunately, since suffering a stroke and being diagnosed with neuropathy, Anna can no longer walk or function independently. She dreams of her days as a young girl in Scotland, with her friend, Margaret, when she was able to walk and play the piano. Anna’s geriatric case manager submitted her wish application on her behalf, requesting a reunion with her beloved childhood friend. Her wish came true when Margaret and her daughter, Elizabeth, made the trip to see Anna, thanks to Twilight Wish Foundation. A celebratory luncheon was held in honor of this heartwarming reunion at Anna’s favorite restaurant, the Beacon Street Grille. In addition, authentic Highland Piper, Bill McEvoy, donated his time on Saturday evening with a surprise visit to Anna and Margaret.
The luncheon was held Friday, December 5, 2008 at 11:30 a.m. The bagpiper performed Saturday night, December 6, 2008 at Anna’s nursing home.
Anna’s wish was the 1,031st wish granted by Twilight Wish Foundation and the fifth wish granted by the New Jersey chapter to date. Special thanks to Continental Airlines for donating the tickets for Margaret and her companion to fly in for the reunion, to Bill McEvoy for donating his time and musical talents, and to Renaissance Gardens at Seabrook Village for donating the rooms and food vouchers for Elizabeth and Margaret.
Cass Forkin, Founder and Executive Director of Twilight Wish Foundation, and Jim Kinsey, Board Director of Twilight Wish presented at the annual conference for the Pioneer Network in Washington, D.C. on August 21, 2008. They are national experts on the topic "Changing the Culture of Aging...One Wish at a Time." The question was put forth to an able bodied audience, "If you could have one wish, anything, what would it be? Now imagine you are in a nursing home, limited contact with family members, limited income and mobility...how would you make that wish come true?" Twilight Wish has been making those wishes come true for five years now. Hundreds of nursing homes across the country are now asking this question to honor and enrich the lives of deserving elders through wish granting celebrations connecting generations. Twilight Wish has granted 1000 wishes including 78 year old Willodean graduating from high school and receiving her class ring; 75 year old Bobbie Joe flying in a fighter jet; 100 year old Norma taking a ride on the side car of a motorcycle; dozens of elders meeting their favorite baseball players and attending games at the Phillies; Mets; Yankees; Cubs; Red Sox; the list goes on.
Honoring the spirit; recognizing and thanking forgotten elders for their contributions; taking the time to say "we care and we remember" increases the quality of life of the elderly. Combining that with intergenerational participation to grant wishes changes the culture of aging in America.
The 9th of 9 wishes granted between a partnership with Twilight Wish and SunBridge Health Care happened on August 12th at Symphony Space on Broadway in NY when Margaret Heineman, 91, danced on stage with Broadway stars through the kindness of Dr. Glory Van Scott Productions' friends. Fox5NY and ABC7NY were on hand to cover the story. See below.
“I’ve got to be doing something. I’m not going to wind up a couch potato,” he said with a smile.
Since moving in with his daughter Bonnie Andersen and her husband Jerry, he’s been filling his days with handyman jobs around the Tinley Park house, fixing things and enjoying a few games of pool, thanks to some help from the Twilight Wish Foundation.
Olney resident Rus Hammond recently saw his father experience the fulfillment of a decades-old dream, and he now hopes to help others experience the same thing.
Twilight Wish Foundation featured in the Naples Sun Times
Twilight Wish granted to Neapolitan senior By: Martin Miron
Encore Senior Village assisted living center, an Alzheimer's Community, played host to the Twilight Wish Foundation, Thurs., May 3, when Denise Reid, affectionately known as "Miss Denise", received the life-enhancing gift of dental work from a national organization dedicated to giving seniors' golden years a silver lining.
