Volunteer Spotlight 2018

We are excited to announce Rick Planos as our May Volunteer of the Month!

Congratulations to May’s Volunteer of the Month, Rick Planos! In just one year Rick has volunteered his time to granting several wishes, speaking at Make-A-Wish events and going out of his way to share the Make-A-Wish mission with everyone he meets.



Rick hails from Evanston, IL and attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he earned his Bachelor’s degree. Over the past 30 years, Rick and his wife have lived in 11 different cities all over the country and now reside in Woodridge, IL. Rick currently works as a freelance consultant but the majority of his career has been in retail. Alongside working and spending time with his family, Rick has always made time for volunteering with child focused organizations.



When Make-A-Wish granted a child’s wish to have a party at the Navy Pier Build-A-Bear Workshop a few years ago, Rick was able to see this wish come true. He recalls the wish child arriving in a limo, walking down a red carpet and celebrating with all of his friends. After witnessing this child’s magical wish experience, Rick felt compelled to become involved with Make-A-Wish!

As a Wish Granter, Rick ensures that every child experiences a unique wish journey. According to Wish Manager Lauren Levin, “He is constantly sharing our mission with his community whether it’s soliciting in-kind donations from a new vendor or thinking about his own network in new ways to help get something special for a wish child.” An example of this is when Rick attended the San Diego Comic Convention and came back to Chicago with a car full of donated toys for his wish children! While at the convention he also met a My Little Pony cast member and had her record a message for a wish child of his who loves the show.



When asked why he volunteers for Make-A-Wish Rick says, “It is so neat to meet these kiddos and see first-hand what you can do to give them something to smile about.” He goes on to exclaim, “I don’t think of it as work at all, it’s just fun and I would do it all the time if I could!”



Rick, we are so thankful for all of the time you contribute as a volunteer. Your thoughtfulness and dedication have an incredible impact on the entire Make-A-Wish community! Thank you and congratulations!