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The holiday season is always an incredible time to make wishes come true, but for Gina Cordes and Lisa Holt, it’s their full-time job. I invited these wonderful ladies because they are real-life Fairy Godmothers. Together, they have granted 40 wishes for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, with no plans of stopping anytime soon.

When we think of serving others, it’s easy to focus on how it will benefit them and make their lives a little better. But as Gina and Lisa’s stories will show you, helping our local communities can have an incredible impact and bring joy to everyone involved.

I hope you enjoy this conversation as they share how they became Wish Granters for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, what the process looks like, and how they help connect children and their families to their wishes. They also remind us that while medical teams typically refer children to Make-A-Wish, anyone can refer a child for a wish if they meet the requirements.

From making Disney trips come true, to connecting a child with their favorite YouTuber or giving a little girl a real ballerina experience, the stories these ladies share today are pretty tender and will pull at your heartstrings. But they are also extremely moving examples of how easy it can be to change the life of a local family simply by showing up and being there for them.

I hope you’ll enjoy this episode as they have some great advice on ways to show up for anyone in need and spread some holiday spirit as we head into the new year.

Key Takeaways with Gina Cordes & Lisa Holt

  • How serving others brings joy to everyone involved.
  • How anyone can become a Make A Wish volunteer, and how the process works.
  • Some of the inspiring stories of the beautiful wishes Gina & Lisa have granted.
  • The magic of coming together as a community to support a family in need.
  • Advice on how to support families during difficult times.
  • Reasons not to sweat the small things in life, and truly appreciate what you have.

Gina Cordes & Lisa Holt Tweetables

  • “A wish is an exciting time to give children something else to think about, something other than doctor appointments, hospital stays and their diagnosis. This gives them something to focus on, and the joy for us is being part of that process.” – Lisa Holt
  • “Even though the wish focuses on the child, it really brings joy to the whole family.” – Jamie Freedlund
  • “We want to bring our wish kids happiness, but sometimes they bring us the happiness.” – Lisa Holt
  • “Every time we get a wish, we don’t know what we are getting into or what they are wishing for… and every time, it comes full circle for us.” – Gina Cordes
  • “There is never a time that we reach out and people don’t immediately jump on board to help you.” – Lisa Holt

 Resources

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