Wishing Star seeks volunteers for fundraisers
Leaders with the Wishing Star Foundation need more than 100 volunteers to sign up in the next few weeks to help with two spring fundraisers, including one that involves baby goats.
The nonprofit organization grants wishes to Eastern Washington children with life-threatening illnesses.
People who want to learn more about volunteering can visit a free wine and cheese social from 5:30 to 7 p.m. next Thursday, at Isabella’s, 21 W. Main Ave., in downtown Spokane.
One Wishing Star fundraiser, Taste Spokane with a Bling, will be March 16 at Northern Quest casino.
The family-friendly night will offer ticketholders a chance to taste a variety of food, chocolates and beverages and be pampered with such services as facials, kids’ bang cuts, massages and cosmetics.
Forty-five vendors will be featured, and music will be provided by a jazz band.
The group needs about 40 more volunteers to support vendors, help visitors and hand out material.
Tickets are $5 for admission, with $2 for tasting tickets and $10 for the first three “pamper me” tickets.
Additional pampering tickets are $5 each.
For the second fundraiser, people can help by catering more to goats.
It takes about 100 volunteers to operate a telegramlike service called “Send a Friend a Goat,” from April 2 to 14.
For $75, people can call the Wishing Star office to register to send a friend a goat.
The person can get rid of the goat delivered to their doorstep by offering an additional donation to Wishing Star.
“It’s a huge fundraiser for us that started last year,” said Susan DeLano, Wishing Star’s development director.
“We show up with a goat and inform the person they’ve been officially goated.
“It’s a huge honor. It’s kind of that April Fool’s thing to have a little fun. We read them a poem.”
The baby goats get pampered throughout the day by staff and volunteers before they are returned to their farm the same day, DeLano added.
She said a contingent from Fairchild Air Force Base plans to offer 40 volunteers for the goat campaign, but about 60 more volunteers are still needed.
“Once a person makes a donation to get rid of a goat, they receive goat poo, which is actually fine chocolate,” DeLano said.
“Then we send a goat to the next goatee.
“It’s quite hilarious. We ran it last year for the first time, and we did very well at it.”
Volunteers also are needed to do “wish” visits, talk with children and families, work in the Spokane office and more.
Volunteer applications that include a background-check requirement are available by calling Wishing Star or from the office at 139 S. Sherman St.