Blog Posts

Our First Century Club Member!

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 19:29:36 +0000

Harold, a WWII Army Veteran, turned 100 in June, 2024 and became the first member of our Century Club! Our Century Club recognizes any senior turning

100+ in our five county service area. Harold, a huge Yankees fan, was thrilled we wer able to get him a jar of dirt from the Yankees pitching mound!

Our 450th Wish Granted!!!! A Wish to go to the Zoo again.....

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 19:30:22 +0000

Kaye was celebrating an upcoming "80 something" birthday and her one wish was to visit the Zoo! Thanks to our terrific volunteers, she was able to spend the entire day at the zoo

and even got a behind the scenes experience with a few of the residents! We also provided her with a gift card so she could shop at the Zoo Boutique.

Kaye meets a chinchilla!

Our FABULOUS volunteers!

Kaye's Docent!

"It was a fantastic day that I'll never forget!" said Kaye.

Senior Wishes gifted Kaye a new animintronic dog on her birthday! They immediately began talking to each other!

A Wish to sit on a FARMALL Tractor .............

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 16:41:32 +0000

Sometimes a wish isn't grand....Don had one wish......he hadn't sat on a FARMALL Tractor since he was 9 years old, when he used to help his neighbor. He hoped to get back on one of these shiny red tractors one more time. With the assistance of many volunteers, we found someone who collects FARMALL tractors in Elba, NY. Mr. Torrey opened the doors to his barn and pulled out the tractor Don wanted to sit on. His family was there to witness the wish come true and Don shared many stories he recalled. He was only nine years old when the neighbor let him drive the tractor out on the main road down to his farm! Since he couldn't reach the pedals, they had to modify it so he could stop and go! He didn't recall his parents being too concerned that he was driving a tractor on the road.

We loved seeing the toy tractor museum Mr. Torrey has. Such a walk down memory lane for all of us! Don and his wife also enjoyed a few gifts from Senior Wishes....FARMALL mugs, a miniature tractor and a book on the FARMALL dyanasty!

A Wish to Ride a Horse Again.....

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 18:29:00 +0000

Peggy's wish was to be able to ride a horse one more time. She expressed her wish to the listening ears of Jim, staff member at Elderwood Assisted Living in Hamburg. Jim contacted Senior Wishes to see if this was something we could help make happen. We were delighted to take part in this wish granting and meet this wonderful woman. With the fantastic assistance of Lothlorien Therapeutic Riding Center, we made this wish happen one beautiful summer morning. "It was amazing! said Peggy after her ride. Her advice to other seniors? "Don't just sit around. Get up and do things that interest you." We think that's great advice! You are never too old to have a wish come true!

400th Wish Granted! A Wish to go fishing out on the lake!

Mon, 08 May 2023 17:11:41 +0000

Our 400th Wish was granted in August, 2022, to Daniel, who was nominated by staff at Elderwood at Cheektowaga. On a beautiful August day, a few family members joined Daniel as he fulfilled his dream to go fishing on Lake Erie once again.

A happy, memory-making day was enjoyed by all, but most of all, Daniel was able to hold the fishing pole in his hands once again and feel the breeze on his face while out on the water. We thank Excalibur Leisure Skills Center for their assistance with this wish granting.

We believe you are never too old to re-engage in a hobby! Thank you to all of you who support Senior Wishes so we may continue to bring joy to our seniors and remind them that they are not forgotten!

A Wish to go to the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

Mon, 08 May 2023 16:52:54 +0000

Years ago, Rae and her husband would attend the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Holiday Show together. Since his death, she had

been unable to go. Her wish was to attend a holiday show with her friend Nadine. We were happy to give them tickets to a December performance

followed by dinner afterwards at Pasquale's Restaurant. We were so happy to grant Rae's wish and bring her some happy memories.

A 100th Birthday Celebration for Gertrude!

Thu, 04 May 2023 19:38:54 +0000

We recently helped Gertrude celebrate her 100th Birthday! Her wish to have a special meal on her actual birthday was delivered to her, along with flowers, a favorite dessert and sparkling cider.

We wanted her to feel special! She was excited to have a departure from frozen meals and to know there would even be leftovers!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GERTRUDE ~ "100" looks good on you!

A Wish for a Chess Set

Thu, 04 May 2023 19:51:06 +0000

Mr. W. is in a care facility in Williamsville. We had visited him a few weeks ago to bring him some much needed clothing and personal care items, and at that time we learned of his love of chess. He was smiling ear to ear as we surprised him with two books written by Bobby Fischer and a brand new chess game! He kept asking, "What did I do to deserve all this?" This sweet man gave us an open invitation to come back and play chess with him anytime and we might just have to take him up on that!

A Wish to see the Yankees play in person!

Thu, 04 May 2023 19:33:47 +0000

Cheryle, a life-long Yankees fan couldn't belive her beloved team was going to be playing right here in Buffalo! She wrote to us saying she'd LOVE the opportunity to see them play "one more time." It had been many years since she had seen them in person, but she watches every game on tv. She had "one of the best nights of my life" watching the Yankees take on the Blue Jays and score a win for her! Highlighting the night was opening a gift from the NY Yankees - an autographed baseball from Cheryle's favorite player DJ LeMahieu! She kept asking, "Is this real?" WE LOVE BRINGING JOY TO OUR SENIORS!

A Wish to Celebrate turning 100 by dining out!

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 14:44:12 +0000

Josephine celebrated her 100th birthday enjoying dinner with a few family members at the Como Restaurant. She was born in Sicily, and traveled to Canada alone at age 30. A year later she married and moved to the US as her husband was from PA. A dedicated mother of two, with five grandchildren and one great-grandchild, she is still an impeccable housekeeper at 100! Spending time with family is the most important thing in the world to her, and we were thrilled to provide this opportunity! Josephine also landed on the Smuckers Jar and our Volunteer, LaDonna, put together a beautiful scrapbook of 'everything 100' for her to enjoy.

A Wish for a cd player and books on cd

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 14:23:17 +0000

Beverly's eyesight is very poor and she can no longer read her beloved books. Her wish was to have a cd player and some books on cd so that she could hear her favorite authors once again. We were thrilled to bring her this new cd player and basket of books on cd's. She was so excited that she would be able to press play and enjoy a book again.

A Wish for books and crafts

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 14:18:10 +0000

Khalimah loves to read and do crafts. She was particularly interested in trying needlepoint. We were happy to drop off this basket filled with books, needpoint kits and other items to help her stay busy while she is staying at home. She was thrilled with everything and said, "Can i start jumping up and down?" She was going to work on the embroidery that night!

National Senior Citizens Day Celebration

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 14:44:57 +0000

This year our annual ice cream social to celebrate National Senior Citizens Day was held at Westchester Park Senior Apartments. Of course, it was a 'little' different than in previous years, but how can you not smile when you are going to have ice cream! Residents had the opportunity to choose any ice cream they wanted from Chilly Billy's ice cream truck and everyone went home with a goody bag.

Activity Bags for the Seniors at Crestview Apartments!

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 13:56:04 +0000

Though our wishes are not as grand as they were a year ago, we are still finding ways to bring joy to seniors. We were happy to provide activity bags to all the residents at Crestview Senior Apartments in Warsaw. We filled them with table puzzles, word find books, craft kits and an assortment of other treats to keep their minds active.

A Wish for Card Making Supplies

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 13:44:06 +0000

Karen's hobby is making handmade birthday cards for the residents of East side Nursing Home is Warsaw. Her wish was for card supplies and an organizer to hold everything. We think we've supplied her with enough material to stay busy for awhile! It is so nice to see seniors who are giving back to their community, and we are blessed to be able to asssit them.

Bags of food donated to Martha Mitchell Community Center

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 14:43:18 +0000

In an effort to help seniors get the food and necessities they need, we have been delivering food bags to various senior centers and county Offices for the Aging. We also drop off boxes of puzzles, crafts and coloring books to help seniors with their isolation. This is such a challenging time for everyone, but we don't want to forget these seniors!

A Wish for a New Sewing Machine

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 14:49:19 +0000

Natalie, 90 years young, was granted her wish for a sewing machine so she could sew masks to distribute to others. Her old sewing machine had broken and she was unable to replace it on her own. How kind of Natalie to use her love of sewing to help out others in her community!

A wish for IPADS for residents

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 17:13:28 +0000

The Director of Supportive Housing reached out to us with a wish for IPADS for five of the senior apartment complexes she oversees. Senior Wishes was thrilled to be able to deliver IPADS to five apartment complexes in Batavia and Warsaw to allow residents to facetime with family members they have not seen in a long time. These IPADS will also enable residents to participate in virtual medical appointments. Residents of Havenwood, Genesee Park Place, Pinewood, Meadowview and Oatka Apartments will have access and assistance when they need it. Thank you to Experimax Orchard Park for partnering with us to grant this wish!

A Group Wish to meet Staff Sergeant David G. Bellavia

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 17:13:45 +0000

The staff at the Veterans Home in Batavia knew a wish that would thrill their residents.....a visit from Staff Sergeant David G. Bellavia, the first living Iraq War Veteran to receive the Medal of Honor. Close to 100 Veterans and staff were treated to a short speech from Sergeant Bellavia, followed by a meet and greet, photos and the opportunity to hold the Medal of Honor. A reception followed. Senior Wishes was humbled and grateful to have David assist us in granting this wish to our local heroes. Thank you all for your service!

A Wish to visit my son in Dallas

Wed, 18 Dec 2019 18:38:10 +0000

Eloise, 75, had not seen her son in several years. Her wish was to fly to Dallas and spend some time visiting with him and her grandchildren. She had never been to Dallas before. Senior Wishes was happy to be able to reunite this mother and son for some special time together.

A Wish to go to my first Pittsburgh Steelers game

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 16:57:17 +0000

Richard, 78, is a life long Pittsburgh Steelers fan who has never attended a game at Heinz Field. As part of our Week of Veterans Wishes, we granted this Vietnam Air Force Veteran his wish to attend the Steelers v Bills game. A special treat was the ability to go down onto the field prior to the game and see the players up close. Thank you for your service Richard and we are so happy you had a great experience!

250th Wish Granted! A Wish to sit in the cockpit of a military plane again

Thu, 05 Dec 2019 18:47:19 +0000

Robert, 96 years young, is a 30 year Air Force Veteran who flew missions over Burma, China and the Pacific. His dream was to once again sit in the cockpit of a plane. As part of our Week of Veterans Wishes, Senior Wishes was thrilled to be able to make this WWII Veteran's wish come true. He was given the hero's welcome he deserved at the Niagara Falls Air Force Base, where he climbed in to the cockpit of a KC-135 stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft. He spent a lot of time sitting there and was amazed at all thebells and whistles the aircraft had. "I'd have to study for two years to fly this plane!" Thank you to the men and women at the Air Force Base for making this such a special day for Robert, including the opportunity to fly in a simulator.

A Wish for an Accordion

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 14:50:52 +0000

Timothy taught himself to play the accordion at 10 years old, and enjoyed playing for many decades. Several years ago his accordion broke and he

was not able to replace it. As part of our Week of Veterans Wishes, Timothy's wish for a new accordion was granted. He immediately grabbed the accordion,

placed the straps on his shoulder and began playing songs from memory. His fellow residents at Elderwood will surely be enjoying some very sweet music

to fill their days! Thank you for your service in the Army, Timothy!

A Wish to tour the Frank Lloyd Wright House

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 19:49:37 +0000

Nancy is a huge fan of Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture. She has wanted to tour his two homes in the Buffalo area for many years. Senior Wishes made her wish come true, and provided her with an "All Day, All Wright" experience! Not only did she tour the Frank Lloyd Wright House and Graycliff, but she also toured the Pierce Arrow Museum, The Fontana Boathouse, and the Filling Station.

A Wish to go to a Paint Night

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 14:30:32 +0000

Ida loves to do paint-by-numbers, but really wanted to go to a paint night class and have a teacher help her paint something.

Senior Wishes granted her wish and treated her for lunch, giving her a lovely, relaxing afternoon!