Gale Granrude shares a hug with Sask. Make a Wish Chapter Director Allyson Toye. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Community support

Make-A-Wish fundraiser raises over $175K

Jun 2, 2023 | 3:00 PM

A fundraiser for Make-a-Wish Saskatchewan raised over $175,000.

The event was held Thursday at the Moon Lake Golf Club and Prince Albert’s Gale Granrude was among the special guest speakers.

In November 2017, Granrude’s young son Mason Gariepy died from acute myeloid leukemia. Before he passed, he asked the Make-A-Wish foundation to give Royal University Hospital a special gift on his behalf: a humanoid robot that can talk with —and even sing to — kids who are undergoing treatment at the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon.

“My boy was seven and he has a legacy because of people like you, because of what you’ve done,” Gale said.

Thursday’s event included an 18 hole mixed teams tournament, a nine-hole golf tournament for women , silent auction, and live auction.

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“These dollars that you guys give and the work your committee does is priceless,” Granrude said.

Gale Granrude addresses the crowd during Thursday’s fundraiser. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

After spending eight months at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, Mason spent a further six months in a Calgary hospital, before returning home. With tears in her eyes, Gale recalled the 45 days she had her entire family under one roof and the 45 days, Mason got to sleep in his own bed surrounded by his Minions.

In early November 2017, Mason’s leukemia relapsed and Gale explained that within record time, Make-a-Wish made her son’s dream come true.

“And 36 hours later, he passed away,” she said.

In 2018, Mason’s wish was named Power Wish of the Year at the International Make-a-Wish foundation conference. Over 50 countries get considered and 133,000 wishes. Following the conference, the Sask. Make-a-Wish group gave the plaque to Gale, and on Saturday, she gave it back.

“I know there’s many more wishes than there’s dollars and hopefully this will give you the drive to keep on going and doing the amazing things this team is doing,” she said.

A photo of the plaque. (Submitted photo/ Allyson Toye)

To this day, Saskatchewan Make-a-Wish Chapter Director Allyson Toye gets very emotional when thinking about Gale’s story and Mason’s wish.

“He always wanted to be a nurse and the way I see it is, he knew we were going to make that wish come true and so he knew it was okay to pass,” she said.

The cost of the robot was $25,000 and so special approval was required.

“But we knew what impact it would have on children and what his legacy would have for other children,” Toye explained.

Reflecting on the total amount raised from Thursday, Toye said what gives her goosebumps, are the people who step up and offer to donate $10,000 even before the auction starts. Another $10,000 donation came from a former wish kid.

“It just shows the impact of our wishes”, she said, adding not of it would be possible without the support from their sponsors and volunteers.

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell