Make-A-Wish Benefit planned

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The Noon Lions Club is sponsoring its ninth annual Make-A-Wish Benefit on Saturday in the Dickinson Eagles Club.

The social and silent auction run from 4:30-7:30 p.m., the meal is from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and the live auction starts at 7:30 p.m. The evening continues with a dance at 9 p.m. with music by Blue Deville.

The dinner includes deep-fried turkey, cabbage rolls, mashed potatoes and gravy and corn.

One hundred percent of the proceeds goes to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Dakota, said Kelly Braun, a member of the Lions’ Make-A-Wish committee.

Founded in 1980, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has enriched the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions through its wish-granting work.

The benefit started in Dickinson in 2001 when the Noon Lions Club learned five children from southwestern North Dakota were on the list for a wish.

“We basically did a benefit for that, and it has stuck,” said Braun.

Serving on the state board of directors for Make-A-Wish, Braun has participated in the delivery of wishes.

“We get to meet the families. Some of the families have photo albums and I have listened to their stories,” he said.

Braun knows of two Dickinson youths and one Bowman youth who are waiting for a wish.

Hettinger youth Collin Blade had his wish granted in December. Blade, a high school student from Hettinger, has a rare blood disorder that makes him allergic to certain foods.

“Collin’s wish was to go to Disney World with his family, consisting of his parents and two sisters,” said Braun.

Prior to departure, they stayed overnight at the Comfort Inn in Dickinson and they were treated to breakfast prepared by the Make-A-Wish team. They were then driven by limousine to the airport Dec. 14 for a week at Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

“There is no words to describe it,” said Collin’s mother, Carla.

“It was fun. It was very fun — all the attractions at Disney World,” said Collin. “Where we stayed was really nice.”

Dinner tickets and raffle tickets are available at the the Eagles Club and American Bank Center in Dickinson. For more information, call Kelly at 701-590-0665 or Dana at 701-290-4729.

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