When I first moved to Denver five years ago, I started an internship at Wish of a Lifetime. It is a nonprofit dedicated to celebrating the oldest generation by granting wishes to seniors. Within a few weeks of starting there, the internship turned into a job and I worked there for almost two years.
One of the most memorable experiences was certainly taking a World War II vet and his wife to France. But the best part of that job was calling seniors every single day and literally asking them about their dreams. I got to hear about their wishes and the motivation behind them. Wish of a Lifetime says “Wishes connect seniors to people, purpose, and passions to eliminate feelings of isolation and help them live vibrant, purposeful lives. A true Wish of a Lifetime achieved makes other goals seem possible, and encourages our Wish recipients to keep dreaming and pursuing their passions.” And that is so true. The work they do is so powerful and meaningful.
The organization started a new tradition a few years back and I’m a little bit in love with it. Every Valentine’s Day, they gather up their volunteers and thousands of roses, and they deliver them to seniors all over Denver. They call their teams the Cupid Crew and they seriously spread the love. I got to tag along and take some photos this year.
I loved hearing reactions from seniors about how beautiful the flowers were. I loved seeing members of the Cupid Crew sit down and start a conversation with a senior. I met a woman who told me all about her marriage and how she ended up in Colorado and never wanted to leave. She said the rose reminded her of the flowers her husband used to bring her.
The chapter of my life at Wish of a Lifetime was a rich one. It opened my eyes about the incredible value of our country’s oldest generation and the respect they deserve from all of us. I love what the organization is doing and how they’ve changed and grown. Read more about their life-changing work and about how you could help or nominate a senior in your life!
