Erin Watson, a Davie resident and sales training specialist at McGraw Hill, is transforming lives through her volunteer work with Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida. For more than 14 years, she has been a dedicated wish granter, helping to fulfill over 100 life-changing dreams for children battling critical illnesses.
Recently, Watson found a unique way to merge her professional role with her personal passion. When McGraw Hill planned its Higher Education National Sales meeting in Miami, Watson encouraged company leaders and employees to support Make-A-Wish through their “Red Cube Cares” initiative. The organization, which she knows well from her years of volunteer service, became the focus of their fundraising efforts.
Throughout the summer, Watson shared emotional stories about how granting wishes has impacted families. During a Zoom meeting that launched the campaign, one of her colleagues shared that his son had been granted a wish to visit Lego headquarters in Denmark, inspiring many others to contribute. The result was an incredible $120,000 raised—enough to fund 24 wishes for children in need.
One of these wishes was for five-year-old Ariel Wisdom, born with a rare heart condition. Ariel, along with her family, attended the McGraw Hill conference, where they expressed their gratitude. “We felt appreciated at the sales event, and it was nice to see so many people that understood the importance of helping others,” said Jodi-Lee Wisdom, Ariel’s mother. “They gave us a priceless gift and, of course, Erin has a special place in our hearts.”
Watson, touched by the generosity of her colleagues, remarked, “I’ve supported Make-A-Wish Southern Florida for many years, but never been part of a contribution as large and impactful as this. Every individual can make a difference, but when we work as a team we can do so much more.”