Senior Wish Program makes dreams come true
The Tony Rotino Senior Center began the Senior Wish Program last October to help make someone’s heart felt wish come true.
Recreation Specialist Coby Palmer said he began the Senior Wish Program due to a personal occurrence in his life. He said he did a charity for his mother who passed away from cancer and raised $6,000. From there he became a wish granter for the Wish Foundation, which sparked the idea of creating a Senior Wish Program at the Senior Center because he feels that seniors have done a great deal for others.
Palmer said the criteria in making a wish entails the participant to be at least 50 years old, along with being a Lee County resident. Palmer said the program is not intended just for individuals who are ill, it involves anyone who has a wish.
He said the heartfelt wish entails something that an individual was going to do, but was not able to because certain factors prohibited them from making that wish happen.
“It has become very gratifying,” he said about granting individual’s wishes. “It gives seniors rejuvenation, it gives them something to look forward to and enjoy life. It gives them hope and another boost at life.”
Palmer said the entire program is based on believing.
“I always believe I can do it,” he said. “You have to believe. You have to have the trust in believing it can happen.”
Since beginning the program last October, Palmer said they have granted six wishes, one every other month. Eventually he would like to see wishes granted monthly to grow the program even more. The wishes that are not picked remain in the pot.
“My favorite part of it is calling people and telling them their wish has been granted,” Palmer said.
The first wish the Senior Center granted was for a woman who enjoyed fishing all of her life.
“We had a fishing captain take her out for eight hours,” Palmer said. Her wish of going fishing was granted on her 70th birthday.
“To be a part of something that makes someone’s life a little more enriched is really gratifying,” Palmer said.
He said the program also creates a connection with local businesses as well when they sponsor a wish and help make it come true for an individual.
Recreation specialist Brenda Nixon said the sixth wish is for a gentleman who is battling cancer and wanted a family gathering. She said approximately 50 people will be in attendance. Local businesses helped in donating Italian food and money for the gathering, since he is Italian.
“There is hope out there,” Palmer said, “you just have to keep believing good things will happen”
If you have an unfulfilled wish or dream, send your request to cpalmer@capecoral.net or call (941) 574-0807. Wishes can also be sent to 5817 Driftwood Pkwy, Cape Coral, Fl. 33904.
Businesses that are interested in sponsoring a wish can call Coby Palmer for more information.