Dear subscriber,

President’s Update

Greetings Fans, Friends, & Heroes!

Happy New Year! I hope everyone is enjoying a happy and prosperous 2011 thus far. For those who haven’t seen our monthly newsletter, please check it out. Our goal is to report back to you each month on what we’re doing to support our troops. We want to tell you about the wishes we’ve granted, the generous donors who support our charity, and most importantly, the heroes who defend our great nation. This newsletter is chocked full of cool stuff. You can read about the 2010 highlights, which were many, especially considering 2010 was our first full year in operation. You can read about the holiday wishes we granted and some of the wishes we’re granting right now. You can review our upcoming fundraising campaigns and view some of our past successes. You can read personal stories about our heroes and their families. Also, you can see why a dog is truly a man’s best friend, in a very touching story about Billy McCotter, who passed away on December 26, 2010. Billy, we’re honored to have crossed paths with you, and you will be missed.

We had an extremely successful 2010, but we’re going to make 2011 even better. Thank you so much for your support. Here’s to a successful 2011 for all of you, and many wishes ahead for our troops!

Jeff Wells, President/Founder
Wish for Our Heroes
jwells@wish4ourheroes.org

News & Events

Wish for Our Heroes closes 2010 Fiscal Year.

• We completed our first audit and filed our 990 for 2010. If you would like to review our 990 and/or financial statements, please check out http://wish4ourheroes.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/W4OH-2010-990.pdf

• Total 2010 revenue: $355,034

• Total # of wishes granted in 2010: 273

• Total value of wishes granted in 2010: $233,985

• The above numbers reflect an 11-month period from January-November 2010. We changed our fiscal year to allow ample time to complete the audit and 990 for submission to the CFC prior to its January deadline.

• Our ratio of administrative and fundraising expenses to total revenue is 5%, which means we’re operating at a 95% ratio. This is one of the highest ratios for any military-focused charity.

Highlights from 2010

The number of wishes we granted in 2010 far exceeded expectations for our first full year of operation. Needless to say, it was a year of growth, learning, and building. Here are just a few highlights…

• Fundraising

1. In April, we proudly accepted a $50,000 grant from Pepsi, after competing against nearly 1,100 organizations in their Pepsi Refresh Project. Thank you to our fans for helping us make this happen!

2. Burnt Store Golf and Activity center generously hosted a Memorial Day golf outing, which raised nearly $10,000 for Wish for Our Heroes, our largest fundraiser to date! We are forever grateful to our new friends at Burnt Store. We can’t thank you enough.

3. In December, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church (Houston, TX) awarded us a $2,500 grant to be used to grant wishes for active-duty military families. Thank you, St. Martin’s, for your faith in our organization, and for assisting our U.S. military.

4. The Phoenix Group employee contributions – where do we begin? The Phoenix Group continues to support Wish for Our Heroes on so many levels. From corporate donations to payroll donations, The Phoenix Group has embraced the goals of Wish for Our Heroes and assists in any way it can. We would like to personally thank the generous Phoenix employees for donating a portion of your salary each month to our cause. Additionally, we would like to congratulate you on your efforts this holiday season. The Phoenix Group held a fundraiser during their holiday party this year, which raised $3,085 for several families in need during the holidays.

100th wish

Exactly one year after we granted our first wish, we found ourselves back in Killeen, Texas, granting our 100th wish. You probably remember our October newsletter when we featured Kiara Brewster, the 7-yr old girl who was battling Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. Fighting each day with what’s considered half of a heart, Kiara inspired all of us to dream a little bigger, and work a little harder at the things that seem out of reach. With a dream of meeting her family in Germany, Wish for Our Heroes surprised Kiara and her mother, Kerstin, with a trip to Frankfort over the holidays. The Brewster’s visited family for over three weeks, and Kiara travelled on her first plane ride – something her family and doctors thought she may never be able to do. Kiara touched all of our hearts and has continued to be one of our biggest fans. Check out some of Kiara’s media coverage here:

• Austin News 8: Click to view.

• KCEN-TV (Killeen): Click to view. Click here to watch video.

• CBS-19 KYTX: Click here to view.

• Killeen Daily Herald (front page): Click here to view.

Partnerships (Pacers, Colts, Spurs, Rockets)

We would like to thank all of our partners who have contributed to wishes this year. In particular, we have to thank the following sports teams for providing our service members with complimentary tickets to their events on an ongoing basis this past year:

	We owe a HUGE thank you to Dallas Clark for donating 20 tickets to each home game during the Indianapolis Colts 2009-2010 season. You put smiles on the faces of so many military members (and their families), from Indianapolis stretching all the way to Guam. We would also like to thank Joyce Bell for her assistance in coordinating this opportunity, and for her support of Wish for Our Heroes. GO COLTS!
	Sarah Joseph and the Houston Rockets played a key role in wishes granted in Texas this year. The Rockets surpassed all of our expectations by donating multiple “suite nights” to the troops, and even recognized the troops during halftime. Sarah, we can’t thank you, your corporate donors, and the entire Houston Rockets organization enough for your efforts!
	Thank you to Jake Vernon (Vice President of Ticket Sales and Services Pacers Sports & Entertainment) and the Indiana Pacers staff for supporting Wish for Our Heroes. The Pacers donated 20 tickets for 20 games to our troops, and in November, hosted and recognized 60 soldiers from Camp Atterbury, in honor of Veteran’s Day.
	Leading the league in victories, the San Antonio Spurs are winners in our book! On November 10th, they donated 50 tickets to the Spurs vs. Clippers game. The Phoenix Group has also donated Spurs tickets to nearly 15 military families this year.
	College teams – we have worked with over 40 colleges and universities to send military members to collegiate football and basketball games.

Holiday wishes

• The holidays are typically our busiest time of year, and this year was no different. We granted 78 wishes in December alone, reaching all the way to Germany. Here are just a few of the families we assisted this holidays season:

Hood Herald photos/Steven Doll Spc. Steven Armstrong, 87th Engineer Company, 8th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, watches as his children, from left, Kaiden, 4, Olivia, and Austin, 6, open presents Nov. 24. The family of six received the presents from Wish for Our Heroes.

• http://austin.ynn.com/content/top_stories/275362/christmas-came-early-for-fort-hood-family?ap=1

• http://wish4ourheroes.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Texas-Holiday-wishes-289-293-295-298-Rynes-Burbank-Mannor-Estrada.pdf

• http://wish4ourheroes.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/287-288-Germany.pdf

Wish For Our Heroes Welcomes New Team Members

Wish for Our Heroes would like to congratulate Patty McLane and Ann Mayer to the wish granting team. Patty and Ann have been active volunteers for the past year, and will now be taking on new roles within Wish for Our Heroes.

Patty will serve as Wish Coordinator, assisting with the screening and facilitating of wishes. Patty comes to us with 10 years of experience in the non-profit sector, and has extensive experience in technology training and customer service. Patty and her husband, Jason, are expecting their first child this June.

Ann will serve as Event Marketing Coordinator, serving as a liaison between our sporting event partners and our wish recipients. Ann has been in the sales and marketing arena for 18 years, bringing extensive experience in building strong relationships and customer satisfaction. Ann is a proud mother to Kasi (a graduate of Ball State University), and Eric (a Marine serving his first deployment in Afghanistan).

Both Patty and Ann assist Wish for Our Heroes in promoting events and fundraisers, and have proven to be true assets to the team. Welcome Patty and Ann!

 W4OH applies for CFC

The Combined Federal Campaign, or CFC, is the world's largest and most successful annual workplace charity campaign, with more than 200 CFC campaigns throughout the country and internationally that help to raise millions of dollars each year. Pledges made by Federal civilian, postal and military donors during the campaign season (September 1st to December 15th) support eligible non-profit organizations that provide health and human service benefits throughout the world.

Wish for Our Heroes has now applied to be included on the 2012 CFC list. If approved, our charity will be included in the annual list of charities to which government employees (including military) can contribute. Each year, a list of these charities goes out to government workers, and they can choose which organizations they would like to support. Inclusion on the CFC would increase national attention for Wish for Our Heroes, and has the potential to assist us in granting thousands of wishes.

On the horizon for 2011

The fun (and very rewarding) part of what we do each day is granting wishes. However, it takes a strong (and consistent) fundraising effort to grant those wishes. 2010 was our first full year in operation and we were cautious not to spend money on elaborate fundraisers such as dinners or celebrity events, as we wanted every incoming dollar, to go directly to wishes. Instead, we worked with other people and organizations who generously offered their time to host functions in our honor. This year, we hope to continue those fundraisers, as well as create new opportunities. Our goal for 2011 is to generate $0.5 million for our troops. With your help, and the support of many new fans and organizations, we know we can do it!

Here are just a few promotions we are implementing to help us reach our goal:

Monthly fundraiser – Each month we will feature a fundraiser that anyone can support. This month’s fundraiser requires something as simple as giving up a cup of coffee, proving anyone can help! See more details in our “Monthly Fundraiser” section of this e-newsletter. http://wish4ourheroes.org/wishes/january-fundraiser

“100 Holes of Golf” – On May 23, 2011, Wish for Our Heroes will be hosting a golf outing at the Broadmoor County Club in Indianapolis, to generate funds for wishes. This won’t be your “typical” golf outing. A total of 30 participants will play 2-3 balls at the same time, for a total of 100 holes of golf. The golf event itself is more of a celebration to have a little fun after a successful fundraising campaign. The money will be raised prior to the event, so it’s simply a matter of getting together with everyone to play a few rounds of golf. We’ll have troops on-hand from Camp Atterbury and other local military bases, as well as a few celebrities (depending on their schedules). The fundraising window will start toward the end of April. Each golfer will have their own website, which donors can go to and pledge their donation amounts through a credit card, cash or whatever they prefer. THE HIGHEST FUNDRAISER (GOLFER) IN OUR GROUP WILL RECEIVE A TOUR IN A BLACKHAWK HELICOPTER WITH OUR TROOPS!

If you are interested in participating, please contact Jeff Wells at jwells@teamprm.com. Corporations can also participate as donors, and all donations are 100% tax deductible.

Celebrity auction items

We are fortunate to have gained the support of over 100 celebrities, all of whom have donated signed memorabilia as auction items to raise money for Wish For Our Heroes. Starting again in February, we will feature 2-3 items on our eBay auction site, so check back each week for your favorite celebrity.

Another goal on the horizon is to celebrate our 1000th wish in 2011. We granted our 100th wish after just a year in operation. For our second year, we are raising the bar to 1000. Again, we can’t do that without funding, so please help us reach our goal.

Finally, we hope to expand our base of partners across corporations, sports teams, celebrities and more. Our partners assist us in granting wishes, and we promote their businesses in any way we can. What we have found is that once a person or organization witnesses a wish being granted, they become committed to our cause. Even the smallest wish can have a large impact on all involved, and we want to share the power of a wish with all of you! If you know of companies or organizations that are seeking a charity to support, tell them about Wish for Our Heroes.

Monthly Fundraiser

http://wish4ourheroes.org/wishes/january-fundraiser

Wishes Granted

We have granted 364 wishes to date, and the last 200 wishes were granted since November. With so many wishes, how could we choose which wishes to feature? We couldn’t! So we drew straws and chose one that had a unique story, and went to a deploying soldier.

Wish #233 – Fort Stewart Couple Receive the Trip of a Lifetime

His wife, Jamie, wanted to do something for him prior to another deployment. She remembered a vivid story that Brian had told her during his deployment four years ago. He had called her and said, “Jamie, you’re never going to believe what just happened. Tony Romo saved my life twice!” He went on to explain that he and his buddy, a fellow soldier, had stayed up a few weeks prior, to watch his favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys, play the Indianapolis Colts. He bet his friend $1 that the Cowboys would win, and in the end, his friend had to pay $1. The next day, a mission came in and he ducked down to take communication, and the dollar fell out of his pocket. When Brian reached down to pick it up, a bullet flew over him, in the exact spot where his head had been a second before.  He thought it was a close call, and didn’t think much about it, until a week or so later, nearly the exact thing happened.  He was under fire, and the bill fell out of his harness where he had safely placed it. He picked it up, and sure enough, a round came in and hit the door of the tank where he had been standing.  He quickly realized the dollar bill, and betting on Tony Romo, had brought him more luck than he could have ever imagined.

After hearing this story from Jamie, Wish for Our Heroes worked with Coach Dave Campo of the Dallas Cowboys to surprise Brian with a trip to Dallas to watch a game in Cowboys Stadium. The trip was scheduled just a week before he deployed.  Wish for Our Heroes flew the couple from Ft. Stewart, Georgia to Dallas, Texas, and put them up in the luxurious Gaylord Hotel. Coach Campo took the reins from there! He and his wife hosted the Redding’s to a weekend they will never forget. From dinner with his family, to a private tour of Cowboys Stadium, to sideline passes during practice, and even meeting Jerry Jones, the Redding’s had the red carpet rolled out from start to finish.

Brian and Jerry Jones		Brian at team practice
Brian, Coach Pasqualoni & Miles Austin

After practice was complete, all the players personally introduced themselves, and Brian got the opportunity to thank Tony Romo for saving his life…twice. (See video on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/WishForOurHeroes)

Wishes to Grant

We have several wishes posted on our website that still need donations! Please go to http://wish4ourheroes.org/wishes/grant-a-wishand see if you can help.

This month’s featured wish:

SPC Randy Newman SPC Randy Newman has been deployed four times in the last five years.  Randy and his wife, Valentina, are proud to have greatly reduced their debt but are still not able to afford to give their five children new bedroom sets for their Ft. Stewart, Georgia home.  Wish For Our Heroes will be purchasing new beds and bedding for the Newman children and you can help by contributing to the Newman wish today.  Wish For Our Heroes and the Newman family thank you for your support!

See this wish and others at: http://wish4ourheroes.org/wishes/grant-a-wish

Donor of the Month

A certain donor, who prefers to remain anonymous, donates a significant amount of money every December to our troops. For purposes of this newsletter, we’ll call her Mrs. Smith. Mrs. Smith resides in Maryland, and her support does not go unnoticed. This year, Mrs. Smith contributed a substantial amount of money to 3 wishes on our website.

Also, Honorable Mention goes to The Phoenix Group. As a separate fundraiser, The Phoenix Group raised an additional $3,085 as part of their Christmas Party. Many thanks to Mrs. Smith and The Phoenix Group!

Volunteer of the Month

We would like to recognize Scott Hill of Dallas, Texas, as our Volunteer of the Month. Scott was an integral part of our success in the March and December Pepsi Refresh Projects. He spent endless hours assisting with voting and spreading the word to others. His “do or die” attitude helped us obtain the $50,000 grant from Pepsi last spring.

Scott served as a photographer onboard the USS Tarawa LHA-1, and remains an avid military supporter. He is the owner/broker of GraphicScope, a graphic design and print agency in Dallas, and is a single father of 3 beautiful children. In his spare time, he enjoys volunteering for his church, local police, alcohol/drug addiction organizations, and Wish for Our Heroes.

Thank you, Scott, for being our HERO!

Wish Shop

T-shirts for sale! When you buy an item from the Wish Shop, proceeds from the sale contribute to wishes being granted. With 5 new designs, these make great gifts for your friends or yourself! http://wish4ourheroes.org/products-page

Press Room

Wish for Our Heroes in the news…

http://wish4ourheroes.org/press-room/mediapress-releases

Why We Do What We Do…

We have been fortunate to receive endorsements from corporations, celebrities and more, but our favorite endorsements are the ones we receive from our wish recipients. Knowing that a small gesture can make a difference in the life of a military member, is the entire idea behind Wish for Our Heroes. The following are just a few responses we have received from our wish recipients…

“You guys have really been our angels and we are so thankful.” -Crystal, Hinesville, GA.

 “Your assistance has greatly eased the financial burden for my children and me. Organizations such as Wish For Our Heroes, that are willing to help the brave men and women in their time of need, are indispensable, and frankly, we could not do what we do without the support of people like yourselves.” –Ron, Indianapolis, IN.

“I wish we could say something else besides thank you to let you know how much we appreciate all you have done for us. Just the way you treated us alone was a help. I pray that one day soon we are in a better place and can help your organization in some way, because what you do is wonderful.” –Calista, Augusta, GA.

“Nobody knows what we go through sometimes in our personal lives, and we are often too proud to share these things with others. I am so grateful to your organization and to my Chain of Command for this (assistance).” -Brandon, Fishers, IN

“I can't begin to tell you how grateful we are all.  You really helped (my son) and I work through some of our problems, and he left with a smile on his face.  It was the first father and son bonding time we've had in almost a year.  I couldn't have done it without you. Thank you so much, and I'll be talking about that weekend for a long time.” –Mark, Peru, IN.

“Thank you for granting my family wish for our car to be fixed. It's such a huge blessing you don't even know. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. Now I know I can drive my son safely to all his doctor appointments. Thanks Again!” –Mallory, Fort Hood, TX.

In Loving Memory…

Billy McCotter
October 14, 1984 -December 26, 2010

On December 26, 2010, Army Blackhawk pilot, WO William ("Billy") McCotter, lost his battle to cancer, with his loving family and dog, Buddy, by his side. Billy came into our lives just weeks before his death, and in that small amount of time, Billy touched the hearts of all of us at Wish for Our Heroes.

Billy graduated from flight school on September 2, 2010, and was excited to spend the next month traveling and visiting friends before reporting to duty in Hawaii. He thought he had his entire life in front of him, but just 21 days later, he was unexpectedly diagnosed with stage IV gastric cancer, and was sent to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC. As the cancer progressed, most of Billy’s immediate family packed up their things and moved on post at Walter Reed, as the prognosis was terminal. Seeing the life that had always sparked in Billy was heart-wrenching for his family, but they wanted to make the most of their time with Billy. Billy’s sister, Michelle, worked tirelessly keeping friends and family informed. She left her home in Pennsylvania and dedicated her days to caring for Billy, creating a blog with updates on Billy’s condition, ( http://billy-cooter-mccotter.blogspot.com/2010/12/unfinished-stories.html), and putting a smile on Billy’s face any chance she got. 

An acquaintance of Billy contacted Wish for Our Heroes, and we began working with Michelle to see what we could do to help. Michelle indicated there were two things that would mean the most to Billy – seeing his good friends, Jason, whom he planned to fly with in Hawaii; and seeing his dog, Buddy.

When Billy had originally planned to move to Hawaii, his Weimaraner (Buddy) had to be vaccinated due to the rabies precautions on the island. As a result, he had to be quarantined for several months before he would be allowed to live in Hawaii.  When Billy and Michelle took to the airport (to send him to a friend's house for a few months during the quarantine), Billy had no idea that would be the last time he would possibly see Buddy.

With this news, Wish for Our Heroes and Michelle got to work. We put the wheels in motion to fly Jason from Texas to Washington during his holiday break (he would be visiting family in Texas at that time), but we could not get approval from the hospital to have any pet other than a therapy dog in the hospital.

Thank you, Michelle, Billy, and the entire McCotter family, for letting us join you in this difficult journey. It has been an honor.