Georgia Girl Whisked Away for Huge Shopping Spree

COCHRAN, Ga. Shopping at Target holds special meaning for Allie. On the journey to her diagnosis of Moyamoya, it became a tradition that she’d get to pick out a special reward on the day of her testing. Her last visit to Target was full of surprises during her wish coming true with Kids Wish Network. “When I opened up my front door and went outside, the police showed up and there were lots of sirens,” said Allie. “I thought I was in trouble,” she giggled. When she got into the SUV of Cochran City Clerk Tracy Jones, she still had no idea what was happening. She and her family were whisked away in a caravan escorted by Cochran Police Chief Jeff Trawick, followed by Cochran Fire Chief Brock Wilcher, and a lengthy parade of vehicles including Mayor Billy Yeomans, and additional members of the police department with full-on sirens and lights. By the time her family arrived at Target in Warner Robins, they were surrounded by more than 30 police cars also representing Bleckley County. Allie finally found out it was all part of her wish come true, and more excitement was yet to come. Kids Wish gifted her an over-the-top Target gift card, and she couldn’t believe how much they gave her to spend!

Her fanfare continued being greeted by a sea of Target staff who were clapping, cheering, and welcoming her to the store. “There were red shirts everywhere,” said her mom Diana. “It was a big deal!” Lori Williams, Target store Human Resources, coordinated the special event, and gifted Allie and her brother generous gift cards and other goodies. Allie also had three personal shoppers to guide her as she filled up three shopping carts.   

“You all did it big!” said her mom. “She’ll be wearing a smile for a big long time.” It’s much needed for Allie whose condition is progressive and has brought on debilitating pain and several mini-strokes. 

“It was incredible and heartwarming seeing so many people come together to celebrate Allie’s extraordinary day,” said her Wish Coordinator Kim Kreiner. 

Many Thanks

Kids Wish Network could not have provided this wish to Allie without the help of the City of Cochran, Lori Williams (Target in Warner Robins), and the many supporters who believe in making wishes come true for kids who need hope.  

Visit www.kidswishnetwork.org to learn about the different programs.

Kids Wish Network has been making dreams come true for children since 1997. We are dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children experiencing life-altering situations. We started with the single purpose of granting wishes to children suffering from life-threatening conditions but have since created additional programs to benefit kids nationwide, including Hero of the Month, Project Toy Drop, Holiday of Hope Gift Banks, and A Child Forever Funeral Assistance.