PORTLAND – The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine is in need of volunteers – called Wish Granters – in Oxford, Franklin and Androscoggin counties to help bring magic to local children living with life-threatening medical conditions.

A training session will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 17, in Portland. For more information on wish granting, call Kate Vickery at the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine, 221-2306, or e-mail [email protected].

A child’s wish springs from his or her imagination – to meet their biggest hero, travel to an exotic location, be a princess for a day, have a puppy, kiss a dolphin, or whatever they desire. The foundation has granted more than 650 wishes since 1992.

Wish Granting Volunteers work in teams of two and act as the primary contact between the “wish children” and the Make-A-Wish office for the duration of the wish process.

Each wish takes an average of 10 to 20 hours over an average of a four-month time period. Training, support and magic wands are provided. There is no financial obligation to be a wish granter;all expenses for each wish are paid for by Make-A-Wish.

For more information on the Make-A-Wish Foundation, call 1-800-491-3171 or e-mail [email protected].