Make-A-Wish Officials Troubled by False Chain e-mail

While this isn't directly about Disney, Make-A-Wish Foundation brings a lot of kids to Disney theme parks as that happens to be the most requested wish by the children. I want to highlight the despicable behavior of some creatures that dare to call themselves as "human beings" by taking advantage of the Make-A-Wish name and either produce some stupid chain mail or via some telemarketing scam.

However, Amy Bruce is a familiar name to the staff at the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Ann Arbor. A spokesman for the charity said Bruce is one of dozens of names that periodically pop up in chain letters. The spokesman said the chain letters are common enough, Make-A-Wish's national organization maintains a separate page on its a Web site, www.wish.org/about/chain_letters, about them.

"Words can not express how terrible that is," said Lapeer Superintendent Debbie Thompson. She said she's "totally disgusted" that someone would prey on people's willingness to reach out to a stricken child.

Most importantly, take note of the Make-A-Wish Foundation policy:

Make-A-Wish issued a statement earlier this month in response to complaints to its offices in Ann Arbor, Detroit and Grand Rapids from people upset over calls from telemarketers.

"I can assure the community that the Make-A-Wish Foundation is not affiliated with any telephone marketing efforts," said Susan Lerch, president and CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan. "The Foundation prides itself on its outstanding reputation and it saddens me to see that others are taking advantage of that reputation."

Lerch added, "As a matter of worldwide policy, the Make-A-Wish Foundation does not engage in telephone fund-raising for several reasons, mainly because so many find it distasteful and invasive.Ê Rather, the Make-A-Wish Foundation relies entirely on individual and corporate donations."

This organization deserves all the support that it can get, and all without using the annoying telemarketing route that some "charitable organizations" seem to be resorting to. Hope you can support the local chapter of Make-A-Wish in your area.

Zz.