LEWISTON – The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine will host its fifth annual Walk For Wishes on Thursday, May 25, at seven locations in southern Maine, including Festival Plaza. Registration and entertainment will begin at 5 p.m., and the walk will begin at 6.

More than 50 children in Androscoggin County have received, or are in the process of receiving, their greatest wish. Twelve-year-old Dylan of Lewiston returned from his wish trip to Hawaii, and 17-year-old Nicole of Turner was on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Last year, Kailee, 13, of Auburn, also had a cruise through the Caribbean with her parents and five siblings.

As a wish child, Kailee knows first-hand how powerful the wish experience is, and she is on a crusade to help other children receive wishes. At last year’s walk, she gathered more than 30 friends and family and formed a team, raising more than $8,000. This year she’s on target to set a record by beating that.

Participants in last year’s walk in Lewiston raised more than $15,000, enough to grant three children’s wishes. Residents and businesses are needed to participate in this year’s Walk For Wishes to help more Androscoggin County children who are battling life-threatening medical conditions.

Prizes will be awarded to individuals and teams who collect more than $200 in pledges. Adults who raise at least $100 and youths under 18 who raise at least $50 will receive a free Walk For Wishes T-shirt. All walkers will receive a “share the power of a wish” wrist band.

Residents who would like to register for the walk can call (866) 704-WALK or visit www.maine.wish.org. All participants, whether walking individually or on a team, will be able to register online and collect their pledges online.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine has granted more than 650 wishes since its founding in 1992. The foundation expects to grant the greatest wish of 80 seriously ill Maine children in 2006, an average of one wish every five days somewhere in Maine.

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