Jonathan and Shayla Lodge of Richmond Hill knew their daughter Ryleigh’s Wish Day was set for the afternoon of Oct. 5. They knew she was going to receive the sparkly silver golf cart she had wished for from Make-A-Wish Georgia. They knew to bring Ryleigh to the Richmond Hill City Center at J. F. Gregory Park that afternoon for the presentation.
Ryleigh is a 6-year-old first-grader at McAllister Elementary School who has been receiving treatment for kidney disease. The Lodges became a Wish family last year while Ryleigh was on dialysis.
"She's our hero. She was diagnosed in 2016 with a disease called nephrotic syndrome, specifically, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis," Jonathan Lodge explained. "She has a genetic form of the disease that causes scarring in the kidney tissues over time. She gradually lost [kidney] function between the ages of 18 months and about 5 years old, to the point of needing to go on dialysis, and then a double nephrectomy to have her kidneys removed." Ryleigh had a kidney transplant in April 2021.
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
"To qualify [for Make-A-Wish], she had to be on dialysis and about a year ago, the port went in and she got put on peritoneal dialysis. [Make-A-Wish has] been working with us ever since," Jonathan Lodge explained. "They really wanted to know what she wanted and how they can best serve her and cater to her. It's just a great organization to really let kids [who] have gone through a lot, they have a big support group and a lot of people around them to make sure that they understand they are loved and cared for."
Jonathan Lodge summed up why he calls Ryleigh his hero. "She just loves living life. She doesn't let anything she's been through hold her back. She doesn't hold any grudges against any of the doctors or any procedures she's had," he said. "She wakes up every day ready to live and doesn't worry about tomorrow. It's all about living for today, and I think that's something that everybody can really learn from and aspire to be more like Ryleigh."
'We were blown away'
As Ryleigh's Wish Day drew near, the event morphed into more than just presenting a little girl with a sparkly silver golf cart. When the community found out about the Wish presentation, community members wanted to be involved, according to Meghan Lowe, Savannah-based southeast development director for Make-A-Wish Georgia.
What would have been a simple presentation became a parade. It created a logistical problem for Lowe. “We couldn’t stop traffic on [State Route] 144 during rush hour,” Lowe said, adding that J.F. Gregory Park would be the perfect venue for the event.
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
“We really expected it to be just to be a small gathering,” said Jonathan Lodge. However, Richmond Hill came out with the high school band, cheerleaders, dance team, and the police and fire departments. Ryleigh’s classmates, teachers, principal and assistant principal from McAllister Elementary School also participated. Community partners who helped fulfill Ryleigh's wish also joined the parade, including the Kennickell Group and Country Financial Insurance Co. Motorcycle riders from various local clubs, a Blackhawk helicopter flyover, and representatives from Make-A-Wish Georgia also came to celebrate Ryleigh.
"We were blown away. We were not expecting this at all," Shayla Lodge added.
"We appreciate the love and support from the community, the school, the first responders, everybody involved," Jonathan Lodge added. "We're so blessed and thankful, and most of all blessed to have a healthy, happy little girl."
Michael Flynn of Country Financial Insurance Co. said at the event, “[This] community comes together when you say ‘Make-A-Wish’. They say, ‘What can I do?’”
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
As for participation from Richmond Hill High School, Principal Bivins Miller echoed Flynn’s sentiment. “There was no hesitation,” Miller said. “[I said] We’ll be there. That’s Richmond Hill for you.”
Savannah-based The Kennickell Group wrapped the golf cart in the silver that Ryleigh wanted. “There are good projects. And there are great projects. We donate to a lot of different things, but this one was completely different,” said Al Kennickell, president of The Kennickell Group, at the event. “Who could ever say ‘no’ to something like this? We were happy to do it.”
Ryleigh's wish for a golf cart
After the family moved to the River Creek neighborhood in Richmond Hill from Moultrie, Jonathan Lodge said, Ryleigh saw all the other boys and girls getting rides around on golf carts in the neighborhood. "She wanted in on it so she decided that's what she wanted," Jonathan Lodge said.
"Ryleigh’s wish was to have a sparkly silver golf cart — she was very specific,” said Amy Alvarez, vice president of marketing and communications for Make-A-Wish Georgia in Atlanta.
The front of the cart includes a sticker, which Ryleigh read aloud to her friends. "It says, 'Root for Ryleigh'," she read.
At the time Ryleigh decided on her wish, her father said, Make-A-Wish was not doing trips due to COVID-19. He believes the golf cart “is something she'll have for a long, long time. With an experience you have memories. You don't get to hold on to it. This is something that she will get reminded of every single day -- the generosity of Make-A-Wish, the City of Richmond Hill, and McAllister Elementary School.”
Helping wishes come true
To help Ryleigh’s wish come true, Flynn and his partner Jonathan Kitchens of Country Financial raised more than $8,000 at “Wait for Wishes” last November.
"Wait for Wishes" is an annual fundraiser where community leaders wait tables to earn tips. The event was held at the Perry Lane Hotel. The "waiter" who receives the most tips earns the right to have a wish granted in their company's name. Flynn won that event as he raised more than $8,700 from his diners.
More on wishes
Online: Make-A-Wish Georgia at wish.org/georgia
Contact: Meghan Lowe, mlowe@georgia.wish.org
Flynn's passion for Make-A-Wish Georgia is more personal than just community involvement. Flynn is also a Wish parent and speaks openly about his 14-year-old daughter who has neurofibromatosis, which causes tumors to grow on nerve endings. Flynn said his daughter's initial wish was to go to Hawaii, but now that she's older, she wishes for shopping trip in New York.
Flynn was enthusiastically on board with fulfilling Ryleigh's wish. "Being able to be involved with other families and making their children happy for 15 to 20 minutes, it's so worth it," he said.
The Lodge family moved from Moultrie to Richmond Hill about 18 months ago, according Jonathan Lodge. He said residents of Moultrie came together and held a fundraiser for Ryleigh's surgery. Grateful to both communities, Jonathan Lodge said, "We've just been blown away — the community support and how this community has rallied around her," Jonathan Lodge said. "Her school, McAllister Elementary School, has been probably the best. The teachers all love her like their own the kids. They love her personality. We're so appreciative to be a part of this community."
When the police cars, a fire engine, the high school band, cheerleaders and dance team lined up followed by the motorcycles at the park's pavilion, park goers became curious wanting to know what was happening. When one woman was told about Ryleigh's Wish Day, she teared up. The parade started at the pavilion and ended in front of the City Center near the back of the park, about a half mile away.
Credit: Make-A-Wish Georgia file photo
Credit: Make-A-Wish Georgia file photo
As for Ryleigh, she said she liked the music and the cheerleaders best. When asked about the helicopter flyover, she said, "I thought it was going to shoot something out — like some big party balloons or something." She "pinky-promised" rides on the golf cart to her first-grade teacher Bailey Crawford in addition to other friends and teachers from her school. Ryleigh added she wants to drive the golf cart to the beach.
A dog, a red golf cart, and Spiderman
In addition to Ryleigh, Alvarez shared via email three of her favorite wishes that have been granted to children in Chatham and Bryan counties since the pandemic.
Thomas, a 6-year-old Richmond Hill resident with a heart condition, wanted his own fiery-red golf cart. "His love of golf carts [grew] after his grandparents took him on 'adventures' throughout their neighborhood," she said.
Credit: Make-A-Wish Georgia file photo
Credit: Make-A-Wish Georgia file photo
Club Car provided the red golf cart. On Thomas' Wish Day, his family, volunteers, and Santa Claus lined his driveway to grant his wish. Alvarez said for Thomas, cruising on wheels allows him to forget the doctors and medical treatment he has gone through since birth. The golf cart also serves as a place where Thomas truly feels free to express himself as he wishes.
Credit: Make-A-Wish Georgia file photo
Credit: Make-A-Wish Georgia file photo
Hannah, who goes by Lizzie, is a 16-year-old Richmond Hill resident with a neurological disorder. She wished for her "very own service dog." Make-A-Wish Georgia provided Lizzie a Goldendoodle she named Luca.
Finally, Aiden, an 11-year-old Savannah resident with a heart condition, wished for his own PlayStation 5 to play games with his sisters when he didn't feel well enough to go outside to play.
On Aiden's Wish Day, employees from Pooler-based JCB North America along with Aiden's favorite superhero Spiderman provided him with his own PlayStation 5. "Aidan’s mom said it best," Alvarez recalled. “[She said,] 'I think this is probably the best memory he may have. After all he’s been through, it was special to see him smile so big'.”
Barbara Augsdorfer is a reporter covering Bryan and Effingham counties for the Savannah Morning News. Reach her at BAugsdorfer@gannett.com or on Twitter @Babs7983.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Richmond Hill child's wish for a 'sparkly silver golf cart' comes with a parade
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