A local preschool joined Make-A-Wish ® Minnesota to celebrate Henry, a local five-year-old boy who was recently granted his wish of a Star Wars-themed dream vacation to Disney World.
While Henry was unable to attend an in-person wish send-off event, not a force in the galaxy could stand in the way of the students and staff at The Gardner School of Eagan. On September 27, the school gathered together to celebrate his courage, winning attitude, and passion for all things Star Wars.
The preschoolers donned their masks, both Jedi and Sith, to spend a special afternoon creating a gift basket that included hand-drawn droids and a scrapbook filled with messages of positivity and encouragement. The gifts were delivered to Henry with the help of Make-A-Wish Minnesota.
The Rebel Alliance and the Empire set aside their differences to celebrate with five-year-old Henry, a Make-A-Wish child from the Twin Cities area.
“It is extremely heartwarming to see so many people come together to make Henry feel so incredibly special,” said a member of Henry’s family. “Our hearts are so full. Henry and his siblings are counting down the days to Disney, and the excitement level in our house is off the charts! A huge thank you to The Gardner School for helping to make Henry’s wish possible.”
“We’re very proud to partner with Make-A-Wish Minnesota to help make dreams come true for courageous children fighting critical illness,” said Lindsey Mayer, The Gardner School’s executive director.
“Celebrating ‘Star Wars Day’ for Henry gave us the chance to remind Henry and his family that an entire community is standing with them,” Mayer explained. “And it served as an opportunity to remind our students how important it is to be a kind, compassionate neighbor.”
Two preschool students at The Gardner School of Eagan work on a handmade droid to include in a Star Wars-themed gift basket for Henry.
As part of its commitment to connect children to their communities, The Gardner School’s 24 schools have pledged $30,000 to local Make-A-Wish chapters nationwide in 2022.
“Every child deserves the opportunity to see their dreams come true,” said Tammy Robinson, Chief Operating Officer at The Gardner School. “That’s what drives our mission at The Gardner School and one of the many reasons we’ve partnered with Make-A-Wish in every community we serve.”
Wish kid Henry receives his Star Wars-themed gift basket made by students at The Gardner School of Eagan.
To learn more about The Gardner School, please visit www.thegardnerschool.com
