ISU students rake-in funds for ‘Make-A-Wish’

Students from Idaho State University are getting out in the community to “rake a wish” to help make one little Idaho Falls girl’s dream to get to Disney World’s Magic Kingdom come true.

College senior and president of the ISU business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi Megan Moore said she and her classmates only thought they would be raking leaves for a few hours on Saturday.

“We started out just doing friends and family and then more people started hearing about us and started making appointments for us to come,” Moore said.

Now, they will be raking leaves the rest of the weekend and throughout next week around Pocatello to raise money for their Make-A-Wish project.

“It’s called Rake A Wish,” business professor Dr. Alex Bolinger said. This is the third time he has had his class partake in the Make-A-Wish challenge he started the previous fall. “This semester our beneficiary is Emory, a six-year-old girl, and she is dealing with mitochondrial disease. So, it’s a developmental disorder. Her wish is to go to Disney World in April.”

The class is divided into groups and each is responsible for planning and executing a fundraiser.

“When I first announced the challenge at the beginning of the semester, they were pretty scared,” Bolinger laughed. “It’s a little overwhelming.”

In the past, the class has raised about $4,000 for their beneficiaries. This year, they plan on matching that amount.

“To be able to come out on a Saturday, rake some leaves, help out the homeowner, they help us; everybody wins from this situation,” Moore said.

But, this is more than just a business class project. Bolinger said there is a lot to be learned, and some things many business students just don’t learn in school.

“The lesson they take away from it is that businesses are looking for more. It’s not just to make a buck. It’s to make a difference in people’s lives and they are looking for employees who really care about the bigger picture,” Bolinger said.

“To be a successful business, you have to give back to the community,” Moore agreed. “If you want them to come out, you have to give back.”

Bolinger said upcoming fundraisers in Pocatello include:

– Another Rake-A-WIsh effort on Saturday, November 9, from 10 o’clock in the morning until one o’clock in the afternoon.

– A Pizza Hut fundraiser on November 18 and 22 across from campus.

– A karaoke fundraiser on November 8 at five o’clock in the evening at the CoHo coffee shop.

– A silent auction at the ISU Idaho Falls campus.

Bolinger said the students will be presenting the check to Emory and her family on December 12.