Bristol Central’s Interact Club Making a Difference

January 15, 2016

Bristol Central students have truly been going above and beyond what it means to be a RAM. This past year, not only did they introduce a new peer-mentoring program known as Rambassadors, break their losing streak for the annual Thanksgiving Day game, Battle of the bell, and win $100,000 for their video entry in State Farm’s Insurance “Celebrate my Drive” grant contest but they also raised $4,000 for Make-A-Wish Connecticut!

Make-A-Wish is a nonprofit organization that grants wishes to make life better for kids with life-threatening medical conditions. Volunteers, donors, and supporters from all around work hard to ensure every child’s wish is granted. According to Make-A-Wish, on average in the United States and its territories, “a wish is granted every 37 minutes.” Just this past Monday, January 11th, the students of BCHS’s Interact Club presented money to the non-profit. They raised the money during a BCHS powder puff football game back in November.

Over the past 15 years, the Interact club has raised over $25,000 towards Make-A-Wish. According to Michael Dominick, community and media relations manager, “Make-A-Wish Connecticut also hit a milestone in 2015, granting a record 209 wishes, up from 186 the year before. In 2016, which is the year your (BCHS) donation is going to help us with, we’re looking to do 240 wishes.” Bristol Central has directly made a difference in helping the wishes of children battling life-threatening medical conditions come true throughout Connecticut. The non-profit has directly helped grant many children in Bristol’s wishes throughout the years as well.

Dominick shared with the Bristol Press, that there are approximately 300 just in Connecticut that qualify for a wish. He hopes to be able to make every child’s wish and because of BCHS and all of their supporters, volunteers, and donors, they are closer than ever! Dominick introduced Make-A-Wish kid, Joey DeVito to the Interact students. Only five years old, DeVito suffers from a serious rare autoimmune disorder that causes him to have constant hospital stays, a permanent feeding tube, and a port in his shoulder for regular medication infusions. Despite his condition, BCHS students could easily see how happy and outgoing DeVito is.

Make-A-Wish was able to send Joey and his family to Disney World to get away from his illness for a little. They stayed at Give Kids the World Village, a resort for children with life-threatening diseases. While they were there, they were able to meet other families going through similar situations.

 Dominick, himself has not only seen the effects Make-A-Wish can have on a child, but experienced it. He shared with the Bristol Press, that his 3-year-old brother was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Make-A-Wish sent his family to Disney World and Dominick watched his family as they volunteered with the non-profit while he was growing up.

One of Dominick’s favorite Make-A-Wish wishes in Connecticut was just this past year; a young boy from Darien was granted his wish to be on the set of “Star Wars: The Fore Awakens!” A dream only made possible by the Make-A-Wish non-profit and their donations. The boy had a screening party when he came back to thank everyone who made his wish possible. He truly was grateful.

Thanks to Bristol Central’s Interact Club, Connecticut’s Make-A-Wish non-profit is closer than ever to granting every single child battling a life-threatening illness’s wish. BCHS has truly started this school semester off right and we look forward to seeing them continue to make a difference in our local and state community! Keep rocking it Bristol Central!

Check out our source, The Bristol Press’s articles here and here.