[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 71 (Friday, June 9, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E957]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION 20TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, June 9, 2000

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize and join in 
the celebration of the Make-A-Wish Foundation's 20th Anniversary. In 
its twentieth year, the Make-A-Wish Foundation is a non-profit 
organization that fulfills the wishes of children fighting life-
threatening illnesses. This organization provides once in a lifetime 
experiences to children, under the age of 18, who may not have the rest 
of their lives to seek opportunity. Born out of a wish made by a seven-
year-old fighting Leukemia in Arizona, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has 
grown to 80 chapters in the United States and 20 international 
affiliates on five continents and is the largest wish granting 
foundation in the world. In its twenty years of existence, the Make-A-
Wish Foundation has granted wishes to over 66,000 children worldwide. 
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic, Inc., in particular, 
helps to serve children in my district as well as other children 
throughout the entire state of Maryland.
  The Make-A-Wish Foundation has granted wishes to children as simple 
as trips to Disney World and other amusement parks to meeting their 
favorite entertainer or role model. One young man from my district had 
his wish fulfilled when he met South African leader and political 
figure Nelson Mandela. He remarked that there was no better way to 
learn about blacks and whites living together in peace than to learn 
firsthand about the life of someone so oppressed yet as unbroken as Mr. 
Mandela.
  The Make-A-Wish Foundation gives children that are fighting life-
threatening illnesses a positive break from a world of doctors, 
hospitals and medicine. I salute the Make-A-Wish Foundation's 
volunteers and supporters who work to make wishes come true not only in 
Baltimore City and Baltimore County, but literally all over the world. 
Congratulations on 20 years of making wishes come true.

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