Our Story
In the heart of the Yakima Valley, a small story quietly unfolded. From it came a spark, a dream, and a calling to listen, to hope, and to make sure no wish went unanswered.
A Dream Discovered
A long time dancer, Heidi Anderson ran her own dance studio in Yakima for many years. A very sweet four-year-old dance student wanted nothing more than to dance forever. This young dancer was diagnosed with leukemia and began the long road of treatments. Througought her recovery from chemotherapy, she would wear her Mickey Mouse ears on her head and a mask if needed when counts were low. Heidi and the girl's mom would arrange for private dance lessons if needed so she could continue her dancing between treatments. She loved Mickey Mouse and dreamt of going to Disneyland to see Mickey!
A Journey to Treatment... A Wish to be Granted.
​The leukemia was proving to be quite the defiant dance partner, so the next step was to receive a bone marrow transplant in Seattle. While the family was away, Heidi and her students and their families wanted to do something to help this little girl get to Disneyland - to see HER dream come true. They planned and orchestrated an original ballet fundraiser called "Snow White and the Eight Dwarfs" - the girl would be represented by the part of the 8th dwarf. The ballet was cast, music choreographed, costumes made, and the location was chosen.
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Bubbles Look Pretty on a Cloudy Day...
Opening night was beautiful! But there was a sad undertone. You see, the day of the performance the girl gave her final performance and went to dance in heaven. Her mom told Heidi that when they got the news that the transplant did not work the two of them were in her hospital room just talking. Since it was a cloudy day in Seattle, her mom began blowing bubbles out the window to help the girl take her mind off of everything. The little girl who had such an incredibly positive outlook on life would find something in each and every day that was special. On this day, she said, "See mom, bubbles on a cloudy day."​
A Renewed Dream...
To remember the girl, Heidi asked everyone to blow bubbles for the girl at the park the day after the performance. Sometime later, seeing a display for a wish organization, Heidi thought, "That is what I want to do, I want to be able to ensure that no other child's wish floats away like the bubbles on a cloudy day..." and that began her wish work. ​Children's Wishes & Dreams came 14 years later when she decided to leave another wish organization with the clear goal that the money raised here in Yakima would stay here for our local children. ​Children’s Wishes & Dreams is a volunteer-led nonprofit guided by a Board of Directors. Since 2005, we’ve granted hundreds of wishes thanks to the generosity of individuals, families, and community businesses who make our mission possible.