CT Make-A-Wish is backlogged by 350 wishes for kids. An historic inn is trying to change that.

“It ripped apart my heart,” the organizer said about backlogged wishes. “It’s an astounding number and I wanted to create an event to donate to Make-A-Wish..."

Catherine Poulin took a tour earlier this year at the Connecticut Make-A-Wish headquarters in Trumbull and was shocked to find out there is a backlog of 350 wishes still waiting to be granted.

The events catering manager at the historic Haley Mansion at the Inn at Mystic felt compelled to help those children in some way.

“It ripped apart my heart,” Poulin said. “It’s an astounding number and I wanted to create an event to donate to Make-A-Wish so I went back to the property to see what we could do.”

Poulin and the leadership at The Inn at Mystic took action to put together a fundraiser called Family Fun Day that will be held on May 25 from 2 to 8 p.m. at the Mansion with all proceeds going to Connecticut Make-A-Wish. It’s an almost all-day event with activities from 2 to 5 p.m. and dinner and dancing and more from 5 to 8 p.m.

“The Inn at Mystic ownership and upper management wanted to roll up their sleeves, and do whatever they could once they heard this startling number of wishes not granted as it truly has become a mission of the whole property, including all of the staff, to do whatever we could to make this event, as successful as possible,” Poulin said.

“The property is extremely excited actually ecstatic that we are able to give 100% donations back to Make A Wish.”

Granting wishes since 1986

Kris Moran, the director of marketing & communications for Make-A-Wish Connecticut, said the backlogged wishes are due to the pandemic and the inability to travel.

“About 70 percent of our wishes are travel wishes and many are to Hawaii or Disney,” Moran said.

“Many Make-A-Wish chapters around the country were required to choose another wish. But we decided if they wanted to wait that would be fine,” Moran said. “Hence, the backlog and now that has caught up to us. Now that everyone can travel again, we are trying to get all of those wishes granted.”

Moran said wishes are typically $10,000 expense apiece. Prior to the pandemic in 2019, 250 wishes were granted on average per year. There were 183 granted in 2022, and 232 in 2023. The goal is to give out 300 in 2024, with 350 waiting for the wish. Since 1986, more than 4,000 wishes have been granted in the state.

“Funding depends on our incredible donors who run fundraisers for us. Our corporate partners are also important,” Moran said. “Every little bit helps.”

Make-A-Wish CT also held its annual gala last month at Mohegan Sun – another sponsor of a Family Fun Day.

The bulk of referrals for wishes come from state children hospitals, but anyone can refer a child for consideration.

“We are incredibly grateful that Inn at Mystic has chosen to do this benefit for us,” Moran said. “We are in amazement the way Catherine has pulled together the community and so many organizations to come and help us. It’s going to be an amazing event.”

Moran said Make-A-Wish CT is a magical place. The organization serves children with critical illnesses.

“It has an impact on anyone who walks in here,” Moran said. “It’s a place for our wish kids to escape and think about their wish. It’s a place for them to forget about the hospital and needles for a while and just play. They are always welcome back. Once you are a wish kid you are always a wish kid.”

Moran noted that at the gala had many Make-A-Wish CT alumni there including former wish kids now in their 30s.

“It’s great to see them move on and thrive,” Moran said. “We are so dependent on people like Catherine and the Inn at Mystic. Every time we ask the community to come out – they step up. It shows again with the amount of people and organizations participating in this event.”

Rallying the state

“Everything is coming together beautifully,” Poulin said. “Our team goal is to grant as many wishes as possible and rally the state. We all know about Make-A-Wish and what a great job they do for these children. Every wish is unique and special, and I think we can make a difference.

“A lot of people just need the awareness of this. This event is growing by leaps and bounds every day. It’s going to be a fuzzy, family fun day,” she said.

Poulin said there are dozens of organizations that are already on-board, including Mystic Seaport and Mohegan Sun.

WTNH’s Sarah Cody will emcee the event.

There will also be a ‘talent under the tent’ for performances. Nine-year-old songwriter and performer Remy Adair will perform. She’s a fourth grader at Guilford’s Melissa Jones Elementary School. She’s been playing the piano since she was 4 and performing and singing since she was 5.

“Every month I write music and start writing a song until I finish it and the next month, I start a new one,” Remy said. “Every couple of months I perform songs that I’ve written.”

At the Family Fun Day, Remy will be performing a song called ‘The Poem that has no Rhyme’ she wrote about children fighting illness.

“Last August, I was going on a trip with my family, and we were in the car, and I heard someone on the radio talking about a hospital for children,” Remy said. “I asked my dad why some kids get sick. He said that ‘there are a lot of doctors out there finding answers for that. They are working to help kids get better.’”

“Some of those kids are my age and I thought about how much courage they have, and I just want them to get better,” Remy said.

Adair is trained by her uncle and has previously performed the song two times.

“The song is about being strong and I hope it will inspire some kids who will be scared,” Remy said. Their courage inspires me. Hopefully, it will inspire them to do their own music.”

The Mansion

The Inn is located at 3 Williams Ave., Mystic. There will be 200 tickets available to the public. Tickets for children ages 4-15 are $15 and guests 16 and above are $25 and can be purchased advance at  https://innatmystic.com/. Information about donating and sponsorships are also available on that website. The rain date is Sunday, June 2.

“There are going to be a lot of children there and it’s a perfect family environment,” Poulin said. “When you tell the story about Make-A-Wish needing help people have all said, ‘What can we do.’ It’s a really nice feeling. We are hoping to help grant as many wishes as possible.”

“I don’t think people realize what COVID did to these organizations,” she said. “It affects the actual recipients and these children have been waiting for their wishes to be granted. We just want to raise some awareness to that.”

The family activities will include an inflatable obstacle course, giant yard games, touch-a-truck, a visit from Frozen’s Elsa (from the Disney movie), a photo booth, games, Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream, a visit from African Penguins from Mystic Aquarium, Ray of Light Farm Special Pets, performances from Allure Dance Studio and Art lessons from Mystic Museum of Art. It will be followed by a dinner presentation/dance.