About Me:
My name is Paul and I’m a dedicated Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island volunteer of 34 years. I live in the Boston area and enjoy running, cycling, snowboarding, listening to music, watching documentaries, playing pinball, knitting, and many other activities. After receiving a computer science degree from Northeastern University, I worked as a technical support engineer for over 30 years and now work at Marathon Sports and as a coach at Thayer Academy.

In what ways do you volunteer at Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island?
I’m a wish granter and also volunteer on special events, fundraisers, and as a speaker.

Why Make-A-Wish?
I heard about Make-A-Wish through media coverage of a wish around 1988. I attended a volunteer fair in Boston soon after that, with high hopes that people from Make-A-Wish would be in attendance, and they were! I wanted to volunteer with Make-A-Wish because bringing joy to children facing health challenges and helping them forget about their struggles is a worthwhile endeavor. As a new volunteer, I quickly realized that this joy could be spread beyond the children, to their families and communities as well.

What is your favorite Make-A-Wish memory?
My favorite part about being a Make-A-Wish volunteer is knowing that I am making a difference in an organization with a wonderful mission. My most memorable moment as a volunteer was my work to start an auction to benefit Make-A-Wish at a prior employer. I remember our office buzzing with excitement before the event -- everyone so hopeful that they would raise enough money to fund a wish.

What keeps you volunteering?
I want to emphasize the strong Make-A-Wish community by sharing that a number of staff and fellow volunteers are friends and have been a support for me when life presented challenges. I am very grateful for my volunteering experiences. I have gained respect, patience, organization, flexibility, and a willingness to step out of my comfort zone. It is experiences such as this, along with my love and respect for the Make-A-Wish mission, the wish kids and families, and the staff and fellow volunteers, that make me continue volunteering.

What advice would you give to someone considering becoming a Make-A-Wish volunteer?
Please do it! The mission is amazing, as are the volunteers and staff! It’s an honor to be a volunteer. When folks learn I'm a Make-A-Wish volunteer, there are sincere expressions of gratitude and "Wow!”