Their wishes are her command

Angelique Flores

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- Eleven-year-old Alex DeVries makes wishes come

true. In fact, she’s made two wishes come true.

Following her family’s generous example and taking a few ideas from

some books she had read, the Huntington Beach girl called the Make-A-Wish

Foundation last December with the desire to do more than help with the

chapter’s toy drive.

On her own, the fifth-grader raised enough money to grant 5-year-old

Sophia’s wish to have her bedroom decorated during the holidays. The

Make-A-Wish Foundation does not release the names of the children it

helps.

Alex collected $4,050 -- enough money to grant Sophia’s wish, and

enough left over to fulfill another’s dream.

Today, 9-year-old Amanda will have her wish granted when she receives

a “My Twinn Doll” at a surprise party at Teddy Bears and Teacups on

Balboa Island.

At the party, for the whole family, Amanda will also receive an

“American Girl” doll, as well as gift certificates and presents for her

three sisters.

“She still can’t believe it’s happening,” said Kathleen, Amanda’s mom,

adding that it’s “been a whirlwind couple years for her.”

Amanda was adopted two years ago after she had been in foster care for

years. Born with the rare congenital disease Diamond Blackfan Anemia, the

fourth-grader needs medication daily and has already survived heart

surgery. A social worker had told Amanda she was unadoptable, but the

Thomas’ proved otherwise.

Alex’s project began last December when she passed out a letter to

students at Huntington Seacliff Elementary telling them of her plan to

grant a wish. Her schoolmates took the letter home and many returned with

donations. Alex also held a car wash with a friend, but her biggest

effort came with her neighborhood bake sale.

The 11-year-old baked cookies, cupcakes and brownies with three of her

friends for an entire week. With no prices on the baked goods, her

neighbors gave Alex checks for $100, and even one for $500.

“I’ve seen kids bake cookies and have lemonade stands. There’s a group

of boys who send in allowances every year,” said Michelle Knight, office

manager at Make-A-Wish. “But I haven’t seen an individual child get so

much accomplished in a little time.”

Alex’s accomplishments have surprised both her family, the volunteers

at Make-A-Wish and the families she’s helped. “It took a lot of time and

effort, but I’m just really glad they got their wishes granted,” Alex

said.

Sophia’s father has since contacted Alex’s mother to plan a time for

the two girls to meet.

The DeVries are proud, though not surprised, that Alex conceived the

idea, and followed through with it.

“The support that she got from the neighborhood and the community was

unbelievable,” her mom said.

She might tackle another project again, but will not likely take on a

task this big.

“It’s quite unique and a wonderful effort from an 11-year-old,” said

Terri Thomas, spokeswoman for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Orange

County. “Everybody was so amazed.”