A summer storm couldn’t blow away the contagious spirit and generosity of community members as they gathered together to make wishes come true.

The Ninth Annual AultCare Wishes Can Happen Wish-A-Thon took place Aug. 11-12. During the 36-hour live radio broadcast, local organizations talked about their support toward Wishes Can Happen and how their employees raised money for the organization.

Many "Wish" families and kids - some with great enthusiasm! - came on-air and shared their stories of life-threatening diseases and how supportive the Wishes Can Happen organization is to their families.

AultCare employees have always enjoyed volunteering at the Wishes Can Happen Wish-A-Thon. Volunteer tasks range from answering phones to taking drive-up donations to holding signs at the street to attract attention. Each year, the Wishes Can Happen event is very popular amongst AultCare employees.

Kat Yoder, an AultCare employee who volunteered at the Wish-A-Thon is amazed by the people behind the scenes who have such a passion for children and who help make their wishes come to life. “The Wishes Can Happen Wish-A-Thon brings the community together for a common cause," she said. "It is amazing to see people, both young and old, walk up to the tent and give anywhere between large donations all the way down to the loose change they have. Some people have been saving all year for this.”

With the community’s enormous generosity, this year's event generated $158,000 in donations. This means 35 wishes will be granted to ill children in our community. Thank you to everyone who donated to help make these wishes come true. These wishes will bring so much happiness and joy to families and children who are going through unthinkable circumstances.

Be sure to join AultCare next year for the 10th Annual AultCare Wish-A-Thon!