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Working for Wishes Background: Olympic Steel’s company-wide partnership with The Make-A-Wish Foundation began in 2004 as part of the company’s 50th Anniversary celebration. Olympic employees selected the organization with the hope of granting a single wish, a $5,000 commitment. That first year, the company’s four-month fund-raising efforts, fueled by approximately 900 employees from 11 separate operating locations, far exceeded the initial goal, granting three wishes with a campaign total of $17,500. With such overwhelming success, Olympic Steel’s annual Working for Wishes campaign was born.
Campaign Details
- Started in 2004
- Run annually the entire month of April
- Fund-raising coordinated locally for 12 different operating locations
- Approx. 1,100 employees (in 2007) / 900 employees in previous years
- Wishes adopted through Make-A-Wish chapters located near Olympic Steel divisions
- Typical wish = approx. $5,000
- Local fund-raising efforts include raffles, 50/50 drawings, 60/40 drawings, bake sales, luncheons and other food sales, car washes, selling “wish stars,” general donations, and a number of other creative events
- Throughout the campaign, employees are provided with updates via the company intranet site, OSSIE, and posters as wishes are granted and new wishes are adopted
Wishes Granted
YEAR
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CHILD’S NAME
(listed chronologically)
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Summary
2004 |
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2006
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2007 |
| $17,500 |
$17,570 |
$25,449 |
$37,537 |
| 3 Wishes |
3 Wishes |
5 Wishes |
7 Wishes |
Cumulative total: $98,056 and 18 identified wishes
Campaign Wrap-up Wish Ceremonies
Following the annual campaign, Olympic Steel invites each of the wish children and their families into a division close to the child’s home. These wish ceremonies are hosted by members of the senior management team and include a special, oversized wish check
for the child, as well as gifts for the entire family. The events are planned locally and customized to the child’s interests. The ceremonies are taped and then incorporated into an annual collage video, which is sent to each Olympic division and the local Make-A-Wish chapters.
Special Distinction – 2007
The first wish granted through the 2007 Working for Wishes campaign has the distinction of being the 6,000th wish granted through The Make-A-Wish Foundation chapter of Northeast Ohio. This special milestone will be celebrated during a special wish ceremony hosted by Olympic Steel’s Cleveland Division in late June.
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olysteel.com