When Grace Patterson’s wish to meet talk-show host and icon Oprah Winfrey was retrieved from the wishing well, it caused a stir at the Norwood long-term care home. Faced with the toughest wish to fulfill since the Make-a-Wish program began nearly a year ago, life enrichment supervisor Chris Charlebois began brainstorming. She sent a letter and email to Oprah, explaining the Make-a-Wish program and Grace’s dedicated passion for the wildly-popular show.

Once the story hit the OMNIway, home office initiated a meeting with Pleasant Meadow and the OMNIway newsteam to kick up momentum and grant the 80-year-old woman her special wish. Home office’s Marie Murphy, administrative assistant, has designed a poster for distribution throughout the Norwood community. A form letter has been drafted by Chris for people to sign in support of Grace’s wish.

“We stand by our homes in their initiatives,” says Marie.

“We think the wishing well is a great initiative.” Marie adds home office would like to see the Make-a-Wish program implemented at all of the 16 homes. The program involves residents writing down a special wish and dropping it into a wishing well. When the wish is selected, employees work to make it come true.

Home office is inviting all OMNI employees to send a letter to Oprah via marie@omni-way.com explaining why Grace’s wish should be granted.

Meanwhile, staff at Pleasant Meadow Manor, particularly Chris who started the Make-a-Wish program, and Administrator/Life Enrichment Co-ordinator Connie Garden, are targeting local media in the Norwood community for exposure.

Marie says it’s important to garner support from outside of the OMNI community. “Residents are the community. The residents grew up in that community and they made the community what it is today.”

Throughout the campaign, expected to last three weeks, the OMNIway will report on the progress being made.

“Let's be sure to keep up the momentum, truly mobilize our people and make Grace's wish come true,” says OMNI's CEO Fraser Wilson.