Submitted By Eileen Druckenmiller
Luke Hoag, a fifth-grader at Hoosick Falls Central School (HFCS), is a young man with a very big heart. For the third year in a row, Hoag has collected letters to submit to Macy’s Believe Campaign. The campaign raises funds for Make- A-Wish, a non-profit organization that grants wishes to children diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.
With the yearly campaign, Macy’s donates one dollar per letter to Make- A-Wish.
On one day, Believe Day, that amount is doubled to two dollars per letter. This year, Hoag transported more than 65,000 letters to Macy’s on Believe Day, a number that far surpasses last year’s amount of 44,000 letters.
While his goal this year was mostly to raise awareness of the work Make-A- Wish does for children and their families, Hoag was grateful for the number of letters he was able to collect. “Make-a-Wish did so much for me and my family at a time when we really needed a break,” said Hoag. “I want other kids to have that experience too.” Hoag had a warm send-off from HFCS, where staff and students cheered him on, local news reported on the story live, and New York State Troopers MacLaulin and Fougere served as Hoag’s personal escorts. Hoag rode in the front seat of their police car all the way to the Macy’s at the Colonie Center Mall, giving a “thumbs up” and big smile as he left the school parking lot. Hoag’s family and friends and staff of HFCS also joined him on the journey, riding close behind the state police car in a small bus loaded with multiple boxes of letters. Everyone helped Luke wheel the letters into Macy’s, where Hoag was welcomed by representatives from Make-A-Wish and Macy’s and another special person.
Joining Hoag was Greenwich student Justice White, a 17-year-old who also received a wish as a young child. Together, the two had more than 100,000 letters to present to Macy’s, raising more than $200,000 for Make-A-Wish.
“It’s really great that other kids will be able to get their wishes because of the letters we’ve brought here today,” said Hoag. “Thank you everyone who wrote and helped.”
Some of Hoag’s letters came from as far away as Colorado and California, thanks to local news sharing the story nationwide and friends and family who encouraged extended family members to write letters.
Luke’s efforts also spread to the neighboring Brittonkill School District this year, where students held an as-sembly on Monday, December 1 to help Luke in his quest to deliver as many letters as possible.