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     USSA Guest |
07/19/2004 -- "LOCALLY-BASED ALLIANCE MAKES KIDS OUTDOOR DREAMS COME TRUE" You might think of it as the “Make-a-Wish Foundation” for the outdoors – and it was started by a rural Pittsville woman four years ago. Brigid O’Donoghue is the President of United Special Sportsmen Alliance, Incorporated – a non-profit charity that grants terminally ill and disabled sportsmen around the country a chance to experience the great outdoors. "We've done a lot of deer hunting and elk hunting and wild board hunting. And every kind of fishing you can think of," O'Donoghue said. O’Donoghue started the organization after the Make-a-Wish Foundation stopped granting hunting wishes. Since their inception in 2000, they’ve been able to grant over 650 wishes and are constantly looking for more wishes to grant and more adults to help. "If they know of a child that is terminally ill or disabled that would like a wish granted they can get a hold of us." "We're also always looking for - men especially - that would like to be guides. Unfortunately, a lot of these children don't have dads. A lot of children are even raised by grandparents or aunts and uncles, so if we could get people to step up and take these kids, we'd love that." As a non-profit organization, they have thrived with the generous support of Northland Cranberries and other anonymous donors. In fact, Gross Motors here in Neillsville has contributed to an outdoor water sports event planned at O’Donoghue’s residence that will see 25 or so disabled Wisconsin kids fishing, water skiing, tubing and enjoying a bonfire. O’Donoghue says you can get more information about USSA by visiting their website at Childswish.com or by calling her toll-free at 1-800-518-8019. |
