How One Kid's Birthday Request Became $60k for Make a Wish

When you're 7 you start noticing things...like when it's your birthday and people shower all kinds of attention and presents on you...and at that tender age, you might not want to deflect the gifts...but the attention.....it might go to a little bit of a higher purpose.

Such is the story of Aubrey Cohoon.  To say she's taken the attention and made the most out of it, well....that's a wee tiny bit of an understatement.

Aubrey and her dad Matt Cohoon

Like any other kid, birthday parties are fun and Aubrey like having hers at a skating rink as she's a budding figure skater.  She was really uneasy with so many gifts given to her and then people watching her open them, so...for her 8th birthday, she asked for something a little different.  She asked if instead of gifts, her friends to contribute to an educational fund set up to help two of her fellow kids at school who had just lost their father to cancer.  When the 9th birthday rolled along, another skating party, but this time it was to benefit a school mate who was living in the People Center in Spring Lake.  She wanted to make sure her friend had enough support to eat, get clothes and sustain.  For her 10th birthday, she began doing what she could for the Make A Wish Foundation.

To make a long story short, that work has gotten her a list of accolades as long as my arm. Anyone can raise a few bucks for any cause they think is important, but at Aubrey's young age, to have raised over $60,000 dollars, grant 4 wishes and be working on a 5th wish...we've a good reason to showcase the effort even though she's still a little shy about all the attention.

Aubrey's Collection Methods

Bowling fundraisers, $1 dollar donations to wear a hat at school, Facebook "like" campaigns, car washes, neighborhood craft shows....the list goes on and on as to how she was able to raise this kind of money.  Sometimes it takes a young mind to launch an idea and show the "old people" how things are done.  All easily organized by anyone....but Aubrey decided to not talk about it and do it!  I was able to catch up with Aubrey for a few minutes and talk to her about the work she does and the purpose behind it.  Take a listen to our chat below.

Amazing young woman.  To think, all it takes is that one second of a selfless thought to get a ball rolling.  At $60k plus donated to Make a Wish, that ball is not only rolling, it's become an avalanche of good and that simple selfless act has gone on to make the lives of others better.  I am not only talking about the wishes granted, the team surrounding Aubrey has found a new purpose in supporting her and EVERYONE wins when something of such great magnitude happens.  This is what sets the human species apart on earth and this is why we do what we do here at Positively Muskegon.  If you'd like to know more about Make A Wish in Michigan, click on their logo below.

Make A Wish of Michigan

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