Foreword – Twilight Wish® Moments
Paying Attention to
Key Moments in Our Lives
Can one specific moment in time change your life? It did for me. For some time, I had been feeling something big would happen in my life, but I had no clue what it might be.
Then it happened. What I’d been waiting for. In early 2002 my daughter and I were having dinner at the Dublin Star Diner in Dublin, PA. We noticed three elderly women finishing their meal. When it came time for the ladies to pay, they counted their one dollar bills and change in order to pay for their $4.99 meals.
It occurred to us that these ladies might not have much money and that their meal together was a “treat” for these obvious friends.
In the spirit of what was to become the Twilight Wish Foundation, we called over their waitress, gave her a twenty dollar bill, and told her we would like to pay for their meals. Although asked not to, the waitress told the ladies who had treated them. Surprised and delighted, these three lovely ladies came over to us. One lady asked us to stand. She gave each of us a very deep hug. The next thing she said changed my life and my daughter’s life forever.
WE DIDN’T KNOW THERE WERE PEOPLE LIKE YOU STILL OUT THERE. WE THOUGHT YOU HAD FORGOTTEN US.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but within two short months, I came to realize that it was time to make a change in our world. It was time to make sure people started remembering our seniors once again, making our world a nicer place to age.
Making our world a nicer place to age—that’s what Twilight Wish Foundation is all about. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable foundation, Twilight Wish has been fulfilling wishes for seniors since 2003. Our mission is to honor and enrich the lives of deserving seniors through wish-granting celebrations that connect generations.
We connect seniors who have needs and special wishes with younger generations and socially responsible organizations. These generations and organizations have both ability and desire to make a difference.
Together, we celebrate, empower, and bring hope to the lives of the elderly, their families, and their caregivers. Through our good works, we bear witness to and acknowledge our elders, recognizing their importance in our society. We acknowledge the path they have forged for us: their lasting work, influence, teachings, kindness, and generosity.
We want our elderly to know that there ARE still people like us in this world, and that WE have not forgotten the ones who paved the path before us!
Twilight Wish hopes to inspire a cultural change. We hope to influence the way in which our world cares for our elders in need—changing our world from one where all too many seniors are forgotten and unheard to a world where seniors are treated with respect, dignity, and humanity.
To date, more than 1,200 wishes have been fulfilled, and hundreds more have been inspired.
I have witnessed, firsthand, hundreds of these wishes being fulfilled. There is nothing like witnessing a person’s lifelong dream come true. There is nothing like witnessing the validation of a person’s life. There is nothing like witnessing the joy and happiness that ensues. There is nothing quite like making what may have felt mundane feel extraordinary. These moments are the joyful, priceless, shining moments Twilight Wish celebrates.
Wish granting affects everyone positively: wish granters, donors, sponsors, volunteers, recipients, family, friends, onlookers, and caregivers. In fact, our logo reflects this shared, positive impact. On our logo, a member of the younger generation and a member of the older generation touch a star, representative of a wish.
What’s more, Twilight Wish hears positive feedback from people not present at wish-grantings. Whether these people hear about our work through the media, a friend, or family member, they all report—we’re thrilled to report— feeling inspired to grant wishes for important seniors in their lives.
If you never thought to ask an older loved one, “If you could have one wish, what would it be?”, it is my hope that you will do so now. You can make a difference in the lives of your family members and friends by asking this question…and then, by making something happen. In this way, you will also be doing your part to make our world a nicer place to age, one wish at a time.
I’d like to thank you, in advance, for reading our stories and sharing them with everyone who has a heart for the elderly. After all, we are all aging. Seniors represent the fastest growing segment of the United States and of much of our world. In the past, many people may have been “immune” from worrying about finances or other needs during their “twilight” years. But, as recent economic events have demonstrated, we never know what the future holds. We need to start making a difference now, for we all have a stake in helping to bring about a positive, worldwide cultural change for the elderly.
Thank you again for spreading awareness about the good works of Twilight Wish. We hope these stories bring you as much joy as we experienced being a part of them. We hope you treasure them and share them for many years to come.
May all your best wishes, and those of your loved ones, come true!
Cass Forkin
Executive Director
Twilight Wish Foundation
Click Here For Next Chapter
Popularity: 1% [?]
