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Dream comes true for Arkansas princess

Four-year-old River Russell already knows what others need a lifetime to learn: Small wishes can come true in a big way. The Arkansas youngster was granted her wish when she and her parents vacationed with Mickey Mouse at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Pluto welcomes River Russell to Orlando. The 5-year-old girl spent a dream day in Orlando at Disney World, compliments of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Helena-Helena West, Arkansas, Kiwanis club.

River’s trip of a lifetime was made possible by the Kiwanis Club of Helena-Helena West and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which teamed up to give the Russells a week filled with fun at a time when River’s undisclosed illness often proves otherwise.

A phone call to the Phillips County Chamber of Commerce by the Make-A-Wish Foundation was answered by Kiwanian Lisa Polk, who immediately thought her Kiwanis club might answer the foundation’s quest to find an organization to help grant wishes for terminally ill children in the county. Her fellow Kiwanians agreed.

“Being in Kiwanis, I was thrilled to bring this up to our club,” says Lisa, who serves as the club’s secretary. “Everyone loved the idea of being a part of Make-A-Wish.”

After the foundation’s call, Lisa and fellow Kiwanian Jonathon Burgess visited the Russell family with a Barbie doll in tow to keep River occupied while paperwork was filled out. Once the materials were sent to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and River was selected to receive her wish, the plan was set into motion. The Kiwanians arranged to have the family attend a high school football game, where River was called to the 50 yard line to draw a name for a school fundraiser. As the winner of the drawing was announced, Mickey Mouse and Snow White sneaked up behind the Russells while the game’s announcer explained that their wish to take River to Disney World had been granted. Thus began started River’s magical adventure.

“Being a part of this wonderful program granting children their wishes has been a very humbling experience,” says Lisa. “We have been looking to do something more personal and meaningful. Just handing kids money doesn't seem to feel right. River and her parents took the trip to Disney World the first week in November. They loved every minute of the trip.”—Karen Trent