Melanie, 12 years old, NJ |

Wish submitted by:

Melanie has natural talent for dance. Her kind, sparkling nature really shows through when she is at the dance studio, where she enjoys helping the other children fine-tune their skills. Devoting every available minute to dance has not prevented Melanie from excelling in school where she consistently maintains honor roll status and is active in the school choir. Due to a recent auto accident and associated medical bills, Melanie's mother is struggling financially. Although she works two jobs and takes on extra shifts at every opportunity, in November they were forced to relinquish their own housing and move in with the grandparents in an effort to get through this rough time.

Melanie is wishing for a Walmart gift card so that she can help out with some holiday costs and purchase a small gift for her hard-working mom. Mom's car was totaled recently, and replacing that and the medical costs due to the accident have created a hardship. Mom told Melanie not worry about getting her anything for Christmas, but Melanie is saddened by this thought. Melanie often sees her Mom assisting friends and acquaintances, and she has set a great example for Melanie, who is very considerate of her friends' needs. Melanie wanted to try to earn some money to help out for the holidays, but there are few earning opportunities for a 13-year old. She would love to see the smile on Mom's face when she opens a gift on Christmas morning.