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First Lady leads the creation of CNMI Chapter of Make-a-Wish Foundation
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Posted on Sep 01 1999
Twenty years ago, there was a seven-year-old boy who dreamed about becoming a police officer. Many children have plenty of time to realize their dreams as they grow up, but not Chris Grecius. He did not have the luxury of time, because he had leukemia.
Some individuals, with hearts of a genie, had heard Chris’ wish. They sewed a police uniform for him. He was allowed to join the police organization, and had acquired the moniker “Bubble Gum Trooper.” Chris was given a police funeral when he died months later.
That heart-warming episode started the world’s biggest wish granting organization called Make-a-Wish Foundation.
That same story has inspired the CNMI’s First Lady Sofi Tenorio to found the CNMI Chapter of Make-a-Wish Foundation.
Mrs. Tenorio and Dave Sablan, vice president of Century Insurance Inc., are board members of the foundations’ Guam Chapter.
Make-a-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children, aged four to 18, who have terminal diseases.
“Most of the kids who are enrolled at the foundation wish to see Disneyland, and the Guam Chapter has sent many of them to Disneyland,” Mrs. Tenorio said.
The founders on Saipan met yesterday at the Hafa Adai Hotel to discuss a fundraising dinner scheduled for November.
Joining Mrs. Tenorio and Sablan are the lieutenant governor’s wife Annie Sablan, Sue Mafnas, Marian Dlg. Tudela, Chailang Palacios, Frances Demapan and Rit V. Tenorio.
The foundation, although not formally launched yet, has already opened an office at the building next to the Marianas Visitor’s Authority on Beach Road.
Mrs. Tenorio, Sablan and their co-founders have their own wish: that the community would support the foundation. (MCM)
