Wish group is for Alaskans, by Alaskans

How would you go about visiting Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch? Or arranging a three-day shopping trip, complete with a limousine and chauffeur for the entire weekend?

Those are just a few things that face the volunteers of the Wish Upon the North Star organization, which is an independent wish-granting group based in Anchorage. The group makes the hopes and dreams of children with terminal illnesses come true, no matter what it takes.

Being a completely volunteer-driven organization is a challenge, but organizers said they wouldn't have it any other way.

"We don't have any paid positions or administrative costs. All our money goes right to the children," said Mary Rice, secretary of the organization, which is based in Anchorage but serves Alaska children from all corners of the state. "We want to make the children smile."

The group has been granting wishes to Alaskans since 1983.

"The Make-A-Wish Foundation wasn't here, and then they came up, left and then came back again. We wanted our wishes to be specifically for Alaska's children," Rice said.

The group doesn't have a public relations budget, so often, it works behind the scenes to make sure wishes get granted. It is not affiliated with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which has a large budget.

Small, regional wish-granting foundations are located all over the Lower 48, but the Wish Upon the North Star is the only one based in Alaska, other than the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Budget constraints have not limited the work the Wish Upon the North Star organization has done, though.

"We do all of our things behind the scenes. We do a lot of coordinating with businesses and a lot of begging," Rice said with a laugh. "The businesses are marvelous in helping us. We can't say enough good things about the Alaska community."

The organization serves children through the age of 19. A volunteer board of directors meets once a month, and works on an average of two to three wishes at a time. While some are as large as meeting Michael Jackson, others are as simple as going home.

A 10-year-old girl from Selawik was diagnosed with leukemia, and after spending more than a year in the hospital, her wish was to go back to Selawik to see her two dogs and her relatives for Christmas. Board members made sure she got to spend 10 days with her family, as well as provided her with Christmas presents and spending money.

Other wishes range from trips to Disneyland to Wasilla's Brianna Perkins' wish to take her friends on a three-day shopping trip to Anchorage, in a limo (see related story).

The Wish Upon the North Star organization tries to make all the wishes come true, as well as help family members.

"We try to include the parents of the child and all the brothers and sisters," Rice said.