Local helpers celebrate a granted wish

When folks at Atmos Energy heard about Payton Templeton-White, 3, they knew she was special. So special, they wanted to make her dream of going to Disney World a reality through the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

What the people at Atmos didn't know at the time was they'd have a chance to celebrate with the special young lady again, months after her wish was granted.

Payton was the record-breaking recipient of the 100th wish for the Middle Tennessee Chapter's fiscal year 2008-09.

Last Friday, Make-A-Wish representatives, Atmos Energy, Payton, who has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Payton's family, Shelbyville Central High School students and community leaders had a 100th Wish Celebration at Atmos Energy in Shelbyville.

"We've never hit that mark before," said John Dwyer, a news anchor for WKRN-TV (Channel 2) and board president of the Middle Tennessee Chapter of Make-A-Wish.

Dwyer gave special recognition to Shelbyville Central for their efforts in raising more than $20,000 over the last few years for Make-A-Wish.

"Shelbyville Central High School gets it," Dwyer said. "(SCHS) works for Make-A-Wish and I can't thank you enough."

Michelle Rosen, executive director of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Middle Tennessee, said, "Once we scheduled Payton's wish, we were excited to find that we had granted a record number of wishes for our chapter.

"We are grateful for the support of companies like Atmos Energy whose funding is essential to our goal of granting the wish of every eligible child in the 38 counties we serve."

Friday's celebration included cake, lots of laughter and a lot of folks' admiration over Payton, who stormed through the crowd laughing and cuddling with anyone who'd pick her up. Her family members, including great-grandmother Hilda Brown, grandparents Johnnie and Ray Templeton, aunt Melissa Sterling and mother Shannon White attended and thanked Make-A-Wish.

"It truly was magical," said a tearful Johnnie Templeton of the family's trip. "All of Payton's health problems were forgotten for a week."

Payton continues to undergo treatment for ALL Leukemia.

About The Make-A-Wish Foundation ®

According to a news release, The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Born in 1980 when a group of caring individuals helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is now the largest wish-granting charity in the world, with 65 chapters in the United States and its territories. With the help of donors and nearly 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish every 40 minutes and has granted more than 161,000 wishes in the U.S. since inception.

Local chapter

The Middle Tennessee Chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation®, the youngest Make-a-Wish Chapter in the country, recently won national awards for performance excellence and for the 2008 Infinite Wish -- a wish that involved the entire community.

The Middle Tennessee chapter has granted more than 750 wishes since its founding in 2000. To refer a child with a life-threatening medical condition, call (615) 259-2324, Ext 11. Individuals can make donations or donate frequent flyer miles at www.midtnwishes.org; by calling (615) 259-2324, Ext. 15; or by sending donations to The Make-A-Wish® Foundation of Middle Tennessee, 209 10th Avenue South, Suite 527, Nashville, TN, 37203.

About Granting Wishes

Since 1980, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has enriched the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

There are four steps to granting a wish:

* Referral

The Foundation relies on medical professionals, parents and children themselves for referrals. Children who have reached the age of 2 1/2 and are under the age of 18 at the time of referral and who have not received a wish from another wish-granting organization may be eligible for a wish.

* Medical eligibility

The Foundation determines a child's medical eligibility with the help of the treating physician. To receive a wish, the child must be diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition -- i.e., a progressive, degenerative or malignant condition that has placed the child's life in jeopardy.

* Identifying the wish

The foundation sends a team to learn the child's wish.

* Granting the wish

Wish granters create an unforgettable experience driven by the child's creativity. It's an incredible experience that enriches not just the lives of the children and their families, but often an entire community.