Help South Dakota Make-A-Wish Kids Take Flight

We are very fortunate to live in such a giving city and state that shows its support for kids.

Once again Make-A-Wish South Dakota is reaching out to help families that have children with life-threatening illnesses and assisting them to make their wish come true.
Below is a release that will explain how you can help.

SIOUX FALLS, February 3, 2014 – For the third year, a statewide campaign for unused airline miles will help make wishes come true for South Dakota kids with life-threatening medical conditions.  The February 27 effort will benefit Make-A-Wish® South Dakota, enabling the chapter to grant travel wishes to kids across the state.

More than 65 percent of the wishes granted by Make-A-Wish require air travel, the largest expense of the chapter’s annual wish budget.  Miles from Delta, United, and US Airways are accepted.  Once the miles are donated they never expire and 100 percent of the donated miles stay in South Dakota.  Over the last two years more than 5 million miles have been donated, saving the organization more than $50,000 in airfare.

Watch KSFY or NewsCenter1 February 27 for more information.  Miles will be accepted that day by calling 1.800.640.9198.  Miles can also be donated online anytime at southdakota.wish.org.  A minimum donation of 1,000 miles is required for Delta and U.S. Airways and 500 miles for United.  To expedite the process, you need to have your account number and know exactly how many miles you would like to donate.

“Donating frequent flier miles makes a significant difference in helping us to fulfill our mission of granting wishes,” Paul Krueger, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish South Dakota said.  “This campaign is a unique way to support the sick kids and families we are serving."

Krueger said no matter how many miles you donate, the impact is enormous.  He said it takes 40,000 to 50,000 miles for one ticket and once your miles are donated to Make-A-Wish they will never expire.

For travel wishes typically the wish child, his or her parents or guardians and immediate siblings living at home are included in the wish.  The largest family that traveled this past year had 10 members.
The statewide effort is made possible by KSFY, NewsCenter1, Midco Connections, and Midcontinent Communications.

Make-A-Wish South Dakota was founded in 1984 to grant the wishes of children between the ages of 2 ½ and 18 with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.  Since its inception, Make-A-Wish® South Dakota has granted more than 1,070 wishes.  Seventy wishes were granted last year and more than 60 kids are in the process of receiving a wish. The average cost of a wish is nearly $7,000.  Visit southdakota.wish.org or call 605.335.8000 for more information.