New Donation Options Available

For those who wish to donate, an online payment option through PayPal is now available as well as the traditional donor form. It’s quick, easy, and greatly appreciated by the children of Taylor Elementary School, their families, and our community. All contributions are also tax deductible. See ‘Support the Kids’ for more information.

Taylor Elementary Kids Lose Homes, Possessions, and School in Flood

This past summer, there was a devastating flood in Iowa, but Cedar Rapids was impacted the most. Hundreds of businesses and homes were destroyed, and Taylor Elementary School was also left in shambles. It had to close, and every child that attended was forced to relocate. The children are dispersed everywhere: to over 50 different schools. Sometimes siblings were even sent to different schools. The Taylor neighborhood was not prosperous to begin with, and now it is in ruin. Besides losing touch with friends, the children of Taylor Elementary also lost their homes and possessions.

The Taylor 3 Wish Club was inspired by a 10 year old boy, Elijah Bahati. Elijah was a friend of Hannah Wheeler’s family (President, Taylor 3 Wish Club). He attended Taylor, and Hannah saw first hand how tough it was for him. Through this inspiration, the Taylor 3 Wish Club got started. The idea is to give every child the opportunity to make three wishes- one big, one medium, and one small. The sky’s the limit! We couldn’t do much about getting their school reopened, but everyone would love to have three wishes!

The organization’s hope is not to turn to local businesses for donations (because the flood decimated the local community), but to make it an international affair. We will try our best to spread the word across the world, and reach kind people willing to donate. People can make a cash donation or select a wish to grant from the list provided on the website.

With the help of Kestrel Henry (a brilliant, caring, and mature young lady), the Internet Marketing Group gladly donated our expertise to launch the website. We’re now asking for your help. If you’re comfortable with the idea, we humbly request you forward this message around the world. One person at a time, and we can make a difference.

On behalf of the Taylor 3 Wish Club, thank you for your consideration.

Jeff McEachron, President
Internet Marketing Group
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402

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Washington Students to Grant Taylor Kids’ Wishes

CEDAR RAPIDS - If anyone ever needed a genie in a bottle, it might be the roughly 250 students whose flooded school did not open this year.

Instead of a bottle, Washington High School students have created an application form for the students of Taylor Elementary School, 720 Seventh Ave. SW, to fill out. Taylor flooded 3 feet on its main floor and did not open this school year. School board members want students to return next fall.

The older students are not making any guarantees, but will try to grant wishes to the younger students this school year. They want each child who attended Taylor for at least half the school year last year to tell them three wishes: one big, one medium, and one small.

“Being forced to change schools can be extremely hard as a child,” said Hanna Wheeler, 16. The Washington junior who recently started the Washington-Taylor Three Wish Club. High school club members will do their best to make at least one of the wishes come true by working with area businesses.

“They can wish for something they have lost, or something they have always wanted,” said Wheeler.

Wheeler and her dad, Ben Wheeler, cooked up the idea a few weeks ago. Ben Wheeler’s “little brother” through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cedar Rapids & East Central Iowa, Elijah Bahati, is displaced from Taylor this year.

He was the first to make three wishes. His small wish is for a Nintendo DS game, and his big wish is for a plane ticket to Atlanta to visit his cousin. The middle wish was for “a miniature car he can ride in,” said Hannah Wheeler. His sister, Kiley, wished for the same plane ticket, her own room, and a Nintendo DS.

Wheeler started the club on Facebook — a social networking online site — and more than 100 people signed up. Not all are active members, cautioned Wheeler. She also announced the group over Washington’s intercom earlier this fall, and has worked to further the club through Facebook and the school’s volunteer group, Interact. Wheeler hopes once wishes start rolling in, members of the club will start meeting in person.

Wheeler is asking for adults in Taylor students’ lives to help get displaced Taylor students’ wishes to the club. For an application, visit www.GazetteOnline.com. Later, applications also will be available at Cedar Rapids public elementary schools. They are due Oct. 10.

To donate or for more information, contact the club at: Three Wish Club, Washington High School, 2205 Forest Dr. SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403; or Wash-Taylor3WishClub@live.com.*

-Kristina Andino, The Gazette

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*Note: current contact e-mail is contact@taylor3wishclub.org.

“3 Wish Club” Helps Displaced Students

(CEDAR RAPIDS-KWWL) Some high schoolers are becoming “genies.”

Students at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, started the “Wash-Taylor 3 Wish Club” to grant one large, medium, and small wish for Taylor Elementary School students. Taylor is closed for the year and students are spread throughout the district.

A Washington High School junior and her dad actually came up with the idea for the club. They help out with Big Brothers Big Sisters and their “little” brother, Elijah Bahati, is a Taylor student.

10-year-old Bahati was one of the first to put in his wishes.

“One to go to Atlanta, two to get a little car you can drive, three to get a Nintendo DS game,” said Bahati.

The Wash-Taylor 3 Wish Club hopes to grant the wishes of Elijah and other Taylor students.

Washington junior Hannah Wheeler and her dad came up with the club.

“We don’t know what we’re capable of doing right now it just depends on what the child views as a big wish. Elijah I know wants to go to Atlanta to visit his cousin, and I think that’s possible if people donate frequent flyer miles or something like that,” said Hannah Wheeler.

Wheeler and her friend Bailey Sande have already recruited help from more than 125 high school students.

“Help Taylor, let them know nobody forgot about their school. We want to help,” said Bailey Sande.

Now they need help from businesses and the community to fulfill the childrens’ wish lists.

“X-boxes and scooters and Nintendo games,” said Sande.

Any student who attended Taylor for at least one semester last year qualifies for the 3 Wish Club.

“We can’t guarantee every wish will be granted, but we at least want to grant one for every kid. That’s our goal,” said Sande.

To donate to the wish list or sign up to receive wishes, email wash-taylor3wishclub@live.com

–Danielle Wagner, Reporter.

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T-shirts Available

Taylor 3 Wish Club t-shirts are now available. They are purple and will feature a genie and Taylor kids’ names. If you signed up for a shirt, get your money to an officer ASAP; if you haven’t signed up yet and would like to, let an officer know.

Bake Sale Big Success

Thanks so much to everyone that helped out with the bake sale- Thursday and Friday alone we made over $200.