SAN ANTONIO — “Let’s get started,” said 11-year-old Owen into the camera. Dramatic music began to play as he whipped a dark-green pillow around his shoulders like a pair of nun-chucks.
Owen is a Make-A-Wish kid.
Tonight, all the world (wide web) is a stage and the players are kids who’ve had their wishes granted by the make-a-wish foundation of central & south Texas.
“We have a piano player and his wish was for a grand piano,” said Chief Development Officer Shelby Gill. “We have every type of talent, from singing and dancing to tractor driving. We are in Texas after all.”
Sixteen kids from across 40 counties in south and central Texas put their talents on display, streaming to Facebook Live and Youtube.
“Our wish kids who had already received a wish wanted to give back to the community and put on a talent show to help just foster hope and strength during this difficult time,” Gill said.
She said precautions due to coronavirus have put a halt to a number of wish requests.
“Many wishes at make-a-wish are wishes to travel or to go somewhere and so that caused a lot of our wishes to be postponed or re-imagined.”
So, these prior recipients wanted to bring some joy to those who have to wait.
“The idea was to provide some hope and strength and fun for our children who are waiting for their wishes to be granted,” Gill said.
Fulfilling another wish to give back.
The full presentation is still up on the Youtube channel and Facebook page for Make-A-Wish Central and South Texas. Individual performances will be re-uploaded over the next week. Viewers are encouraged to vote for their favorite performances by texting in a code for a “virtual high-five.” Each vote requires a minimum $5 donation.