The Campbell Reporter

Community

MOMS Club gives back to Make-A-Wish Foundation

By Emilie Crofton

Community service projects are an important component to the MOMS Club of San Jose-West/Campbell, but the event on Nov. 11 will be especially meaningful.

The group, a local branch of Moms Offering Moms Support Club that supports at-home mothers, is hosting a fundraising event in Willow Glen to help member Jessica Benesch, whose 4-year-old son, Sam, suffers from severe chronic lung disease.

"It's great to be able to honor and help one of our own," says Kelly Hall, the club's secretary. "We feel very connected to both the club and the cause."

The mothers will host a Pirate Pizza Party, which is open to the public, to celebrate Sam's wish being granted through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Sam and his family will go on a Disney Pirate Cruise, his wish for the past 2 ¹/2 years.

"After watching the TV commercial, Sam always wanted to walk along the beach while holding hands with Mickey Mouse," says Benesch, who works part time as a dance instructor.

Although Sam is excited, his mother admits that he has a fear of pirates.

The club members are throwing the pirate party for Sam to ease his fears. They hope when he sees friends and family in pirate costumes, he'll realize that pirates aren't so scary.

The club celebration will include games, pirate costumes, food, crafts and a pirate guest-entertainer. Local businesses like Willow Glen's Round Table Pizza are donating to the event.

All of the proceeds raised will go toward the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

"It's a cycle," says Chevonne Johst, club president. "The foundation is helping Sam, and now we're helping the wishes of other children come true by giving back to the foundation."

Sam also has a 2-year-old sister, Grace and a twin brother, Julian. Like Sam, Julian was born with severe lung problems, but Julian's lungs grew strong as he got older. Sam's did not.

"Doctors say Sam will probably be dependent on an oxygen tank for the rest of his life," Benesch says.

Despite the countless hospital stays, examinations and surgeries, Benesch says things are looking up for Sam. Next school year he'll start kindergarten at Marshall Lane Elementary School, and a recent highlight was when doctors began talking about Sam's teenage years, a time in his life that had been questionable.

Even with his health problems, his family works hard to keep Sam's life as normal as possible, and the club has been a huge help, Benesch says.

Playing at the park with his friends and sliding down the playground slide at group meetings, Sam acts like any other child.

"The first time we came to the group everyone treated Sam like he was any other kid," Benesch says. "Here he can socialize with other children and just have fun."

Sam's Pirate Pizza Party to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation will take place Nov. 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. at St. Francis Episcopal Church, 1205 Pine Ave. in San Jose. The cost is $25 per family or $10 per person. RSVP by Nov. 5. To make a donation, visit www. MOMSClubofWSJC.org.