Granting Wishes that Make a Difference

Peter Boe Jr. Elementary School

Supporting youth development is a very important cause for us here at Choice Bank. So when we received a wish from Krista Hogfoss, a kindergarten teacher at Peter Boe Jr. Elementary School in Mayville, ND, to support their Literacy Night we were so excited to help financially support the event.

The elementary school invites students and their families for a group reading activity and a scavenger hunt. Students are then able to pick out a book of their own to take home.

“This project serves all 244 students and their families in our school. It increases parent/child engagement and also strengthens connections between our school and the families we serve,” Krista said about the Literacy Night program. “With the increase in books to our students and the reading incentive and extra encouragement I expect to see our students making gains in comprehension, vocabulary and context, comparing and contrasting, writing skills, predicting strategies, and drawing conclusions.”

Henry Groenwald

Henry is a young child who is living with a heart condition known as hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which impacts blood flow through the heart. At only four years old, Henry has already undergone three open heart surgeries.

Most of Henry’s life has been spent going to appointments for treatment for his condition. His family has to drive out of town for many of his appointments as they cannot be done locally.

When his family just returned home to Ellendale, ND, after spending six weeks at Mayo Clinic for his latest surgery, the Ellendale Choice Bank team surprised Henry and his family with funds for travel expenses and a gift box with toys for Henry from the Wishing Well.

First Congregational UCC Garden

Bettering the places we live begins with making sure our neighbors are fed. In North Dakota 42,290 people are facing hunger, that is one in every 18 people. However, there are many wonderful people and organizations that are working to address food insecurity in our communities.

Last year, the First Congregational UCC Community Garden donated 2,600 pounds of fresh produce to the Emergency Food Pantry, Dorothy Day House, and New Life Center in Fargo. Betty Pederson of the First Congregational UCC Community Garden submitted a wish to our Wishing Well for help paying for the seed for this year’s garden.

Choice is also dedicated to addressing food insecurity through our Free Little Pantry program. The garden’s mission resonated with us, and we were excited to help provide seed for the garden as well as funding for some new equipment.

Betty said the garden could always use more volunteers, to help plant, maintain, and harvest the food. Get in touch with the garden here.

Orin Soli

Orin suffered a stroke several years ago. The left side of his body has become less mobile and he has to use a cane, which makes getting out and around town difficult for him.

Since this stroke, he has been doctoring for other veins and arteries that have become clogged. He started going to the fitness center in Walhalla to use the recumbent bike, which helped his circulation and movement with little stress on his body and joints.

However, during the winter months and the hazard of slipping on the ice and snow, Orin isn’t able to get out to go to the fitness center.

So LaRae Horgan had a great idea, what if we got him a recumbent bike for his home? With funds from the Wishing Well. LaRae surprised Orin with the gift and he was ecstatic!

“This was such an amazing feeling to present this wish to him,” LaRae said. “This will greatly benefit his mobility and his mood. He is so excited to have this right in his home!”

Jill Super

Our teachers are invaluable resources to our communities, as their positive spirit encourages and supports our youth to accomplish their goals. We want to ensure our local educators have the resources they need to continue achieving this.

Jill Super is an elementary school teacher in Bismarck who wants all of her students to feel successful and express themselves through the arts. She already does a lot of personal fundraising to purchase are supplies for her students, but Jill’s aunt sent us a wish to provide a little extra support

The Wishing Well gave Jill a gift certificate to the Mandan business Art from the Heart to purchase supplies that empower her students to create. We can’t wait to see her students’ creations!

The Choice Bank Wishing Well is accepting wishes! Ready to cast yours? Visit choicewishingwell.com and let us know who you would like to help out in your community.