9-YEAR-OLD BENEFACTOR TO GRANT WISH

Seriously ill mother of her friend is beneficiary

Click Here to see how it all turned out

WHO: Emma, a third grader at a small K-12 Iowa school (600 students)

WHERE: Van Meter Community School

520 1st St. Van Meter, Iowa

WHEN: During a K-12 assembly on Friday, January 20th at 9:30 am.

     "My friend Rachel is in 4th grade," began Emma S. on a wish registration form. "Her mom's cancer has come back for the third time. One of her wishes is to learn how to play the piano with her daughters."

     Emma registered her wish on a new nonprofit website called RandomKid.org that has a by-line tucked beneath it that reads: The Power of ANYone. It's a place where children across the USA can post their wishes, and businesses, and individual adults, can register on-line to grant them. RandomKid's Founder Anne Ginther said, "Our organization was developed to empower children to realize the infinite value of who they are right now. We seek to make their wishes to help others come true, and give them the opportunity to deliver that wish. In doing so, we hope to inspire a generation of leaders that knows how it feels to do the right thing."

     Emma's registration form continued, "I don't want Rachel and her sister to be scared about their mom being sick. Maybe they could learn to play the piano with their mom. They would all be happy doing that, and maybe not be so scared or sad."

     January 20th will be a special day for Emma. It will also be a special day for Marilyn Hoy and her family, who have been living under the dark cloud of cancer. On that day, RandomKid officials will be in Van Meter to empower Emma to grant the wish of the Hoys. With the generosity of local businesses, and Marilyn Hoy's favorite musical group out of Branson, Missouri, the gymnasium at Van Meter Community School will be transformed into the stage where wishes do come true.

9:30 am
Introduction

9:40 am
Emma to be surprised at podium. She will be asked to read her wish, and then handed a gift certificate to present to the Hoy family that entitles the mother and her daughters to a year of piano lessons. The first lesson will be given THAT DAY, by one of the mother's favorite musical groups, the WARNOCKS, a Branson, MO group that traveled to Iowa just for this surprise.

9:50 - 10:30 am
The Warnocks will perform a short concert.

10:30-11:00
The Warnocks will join Mrs. Hoy and her daughters in the school's music room to give them their first piano lesson: One of the songs the Warnocks just performed.

11:00
A "RockStar" Limousine will take the Hoys, their piano teachers, the Skahills and the Warnocks all to Biaggi's in Clive. Biaggi's has generously offered to treat them all to a celebration lunch.

About Emma:

Emma is an 9-year-old third-grader at Van Meter Elementary who loves school. She takes piano lessons, participates in Brownies and Science Club, and plays basketball. She wants to learn how to tap dance and she's saving money for a horse because she loves horses! Emma has known about her friend's mom's cancer as long as she can remember. Emma is making the world a better place by noticing the needs of others, and thinking of ways to help.

About Emma's Wish Beneficiaries:

Marilyn Hoy was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 1996 . The cancer came back in 2002 . After the second battle with cancer, Marilyn made a list of things she wants to accomplish, included learning how to play the piano with her daughters. The cancer has now returned a third time, metastasized to the brain and liver.

About RandomKid

RandomKid's mission is to empower kids to realize the infinite value of who they are right now and their unique power to make the world a better place because of it. Kids have brilliant and generous ideas within them. RandomKid gives them the tools to make the most of their inspiration. When RandomKid grants a child's wish, they make the child a "RandomRockStar" for a day, adorning them with the "Bling" that often goes with being a rockstar (sun glasses, a cool tshirt, perhaps a limo, etc.). We celebrate the child for who she or he is right now. Each child has power. And together, their force for good knows no limits.

The following businesses generously offered their services as a part of the wish-granting:

The Warnocks www.warnockfamily.com A family singing group consisting of a dad, mom, and four daughters. Nominated Branson, Missouri's "Best New Singing Group" in 2004.

Van Meter Community School Elementary Principal Maribeth Arentsen, Secondary Principal John Carver

West Des Moines Marriott gave the Warnocks a place to stay the night.

Biaggi's Restaurant, West Des Moines treated Emma's family, Hoy's family, Warnock's family, and the piano teachers to lunch.

A-1 Executive Limousine 1955 NW 92nd Ct Clive, IA Phone: 515-276-0001

Piano Teachers--chose to remain anonymous. Both are seasoned local professionals, one with several years at the Des Moines Symphony.

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