Make a Wish Rafters Forced to Abandon Ship

Jason Perry and Jason Tremblay were determined to stay in their raft to help the NH Make-A-Wish-Foundation raise $36,000, but they had to abandon ship on Wednesday night after their raft sprung a leak.

Donna Parker, the Make-A-Wish-Foundation's director of development, said the campaign that began on Tuesday morning raised $28,000 before Perry and Tremblay were forced to come ashore at 8 p.m. for their safety.

She said the threat of thunderstorms and torrential downpours may have also kept some people from coming down to Chandler's Loft where the campaign was waiting to accept their donations. But Parker said the non-profit group is still optimistic that some pledges will turn into more donations and they will reach their goal.

"We're hopeful," she said Thursday afternoon. "We'd love to see that $36,000 so we have not closed the event."

She said people can still make donations via the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Hampshire's web site.

Parker said Tuesday the group hopes to grant five wishes with the money raised for children who are suffering from life threatening illnesses. She said wishes range from going to Walt Disney World to digging for dinosaur fossils in their backyards to even building a castle in one child's backyard, which Parker said said the 1,000 wish granted.

Parker said their goal for 2012 is to grant 100 wishes and there are 60 children who have applied for the program and are on a waiting list.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Hampshire is celebrating its 25th anniversary and the foundation, to mark the major milestone, surpassed its 1,000th wish in January.