Granting Wishes on the US Gulf Coast

This year, the Shell USA Workforce Development Diversity Outreach team, Shell Norco Manufacturing Complex and Shell Deer Park all partnered together with Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana to grant life-changing wishes to eleven children who suffer critical illnesses.

Granting wishes from the Shell USA Workforce Development Diversity Outreach team

Shell’s partnership with Make-A-Wish started many years ago when the organization was one of the recipients of funds raised from the Shell Houston Open. In continuation of this partnership, Shell USA granted two wishes to children this year and is working on granting two more by the end of 2022.

The first wish reveal was held in March for Emmanuel who is 8 years old and fighting cancer of the retina. Emmanuel’s wish was for a telescope given his dreams to be a space scientist. Make-A-Wish and Shell invited Emmanuel and his family to spend the evening at the observatory in Brazos Bend State Park where he was presented a telescope, a star named in his honor “Emmanuel’s Wish,” and was able to observe the universe and constellations through the George Observatory’s research-grade Gueymard telescope.

“Emanuel is still loving his telescope and uses it almost nightly to see the moon. He’s also been enjoying his new computer and printer – two of the items purchased on his shopping spree! Thank you so much for making his wish so special.”

Father of Make-A-Wish Recipient Emanuel

The second wish reveal was held in July for Armond who is 11 years old and has fought cancer over the last 18 months. Armond’s wish was for a virtual reality gaming system. While receiving treatment for cancer, Armond used video games to entertain himself and expand his curiosity about electronics. In addition to being granted his wish, Armond was given a tour of the Visualization Room and the Cyber Security Center at the Shell Woodcreek campus in Houston. Shell tour guides provided him and his family an overview of how skills learned in gaming can translate into future STEM careers. The very next day, Shell surprised Armond at his home with a mobile gaming trailer for him and his friends. And, just a few months ago, Armond was able to ring the bell signifying completion of his treatment!

The Shell USA Workforce Development Diversity Outreach Team is looking forward to granting two additional wishes in Q4 to two children in the Louisiana area.

Goal Zero Safety Record Supports Make-A-Wish at Shell Norco Manufacturing Complex

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so today's a boost event for the

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make-a-wish foundation we have a

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partnership between our turnaround and

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the make-a-wish foundation we've

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selected local residents and we've

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pledged to contribute funds

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to support making their wishes come true

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and so our turnaround that we have going

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on right now

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for safe days that we work each

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contribute dollars

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to us

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being able to provide funding for

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make-a-wish foundation

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to be here in the room with all of the

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employees with shell with the vendors

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the leadership and then the families was

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absolutely amazing

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as sweet as can be three-year-old

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eleanor from jefferson parish louisiana

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is the biggest mickey mouse fan there is

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when she's not playing candyland

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listening to mommy read good night moon

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or sneaking gummy bears eleanor loves to

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dance to the catchy tune of disney this

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little princess has decided her wish is

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to go to disney world and give a big

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warm hug to donald duck in person i

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think it's fantastic to know that our

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dream wasn't forgotten and just to know

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there are people out there that care and

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want to see her get everything she

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deserves meet fourteen-year-old dylan

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from lulling louisiana this saint

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charles parish resident is currently

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recovering from a kidney transplant and

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is super excited about his make-a-wish

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he wants to have a pool makeover so he

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can swim every day in the evening and

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even in the winter too dylan loves

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anything outdoors when he's not in

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school when dylan is in school his

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favorite subject is science i think it's

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really great that make-a-wish and shell

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have stepped up to

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make dylan's wish a pool makeover come

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true

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all the way from avondale louisiana we

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introduce you to our friend anjanae also

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known as nene

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she

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is the queen of pokemon at just 16 years

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old anjanae has already developed a

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passion for civics drawing

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baseball and especially marine animals

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nene's big heart and love for underwater

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creatures has brought her to wish to

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snuggle up with a real life penguin as a

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kid she loved penguins she wanted to see

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it in real life also anjanae planned to

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after graduation

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to be a veterinarian she loved animals

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she loved them without shell she

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wouldn't have been able to do that it

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means everything to us

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our company

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feels very lucky to be able to work for

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shell and help them support their

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activities in the field and in the

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community it means a lot to me to

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partner with shell

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just to see the way shell affects the

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community in a positive way so it's

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really heartwarming to see that we're

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actually making a real difference

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from the bottom of my heart i want to

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thank all of our contract partners all

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of our employees

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who

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some of which are contributing by

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working safe each and every day but also

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people who are digging deeper and

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personally contributing as well

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to help to support these children and

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hopefully maybe even a few more children

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when we get to the end of the campaign

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[Music]

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you

Shell Norco’s first-time partnership with the Make-A-Wish program was made possible because of a Goal Zero safety performance during this summer’s turnaround and made wishes come true for five recipients.  

Contributions from Shell and Shell contractor companies aligned with OSHA free workdays during the turnaround, along with individual donations and safety observation incentives were incorporated into turnaround planning to benefit a non-profit organization. As the contributions continued to rise throughout the six-week event, along with excellent safety performance, Norco was able to expand its original commitment to sponsor three children to five. Norco raised a total of $56,610 for Make-A-Wish.

“Working safely is our first priority along with protecting the environment every day at Norco…Working safely to help kids’ dreams come true makes the rewards of safety better, bigger and extra special.”

Dustin Cole, Norco Turnaround Event Manager

Norco Make-A-Wish Recipients

  • Eleanor, 3 – Go to Disney World to hug Donald Duck
  • Anjanae, 16 – Hold a real life penguin
  • Dylan, 14 – Get a swimming pool makeover to swim year-round
  • Ja’Vone, 15 – Visit Legos Discovery Center in Dallas, Texas
  • Rylee, 18 – Swim with the dolphins and feed sharks in the Florida Keys

“Eleanor has been undergoing cancer treatment, including surgeries, since she was nine months old. I think it is fantastic that our dream was not forgotten and to know that there are people out there who care and want to see that Eleanor gets everything she deserves.”

Mother of Make-A-Wish Recipient Eleanor

Shell Deer Park Safety Campaign Unveils Make-A-Wish Wheelchair-accessible Treehouse

Thanks to a dedicated and successful Shell Deer Park safety campaign and a partnership with Make-A-Wish, Carolyn is enjoying a new sanctuary in the form of a wheelchair-accessible treehouse.

Workers at Deer Park were challenged with completing more than 3,000 proactive safety observations as a way to recognize safe behaviors and decrease incidents. For every ACE (Armed. Confident. Empowered.) observation completed, Shell contributed to fund a Make-A-Wish child’s dreams. Thanks to the workforce’s dedication, they met their $15,000 goal to build a wheel-chair accessible treehouse for Carolyn, who battles Rett’s Syndrome, a rare neurological genetic disorder that causes a severe muscle movement disability. One of the symptoms Carolyn confronts in her battle with Rett’s Syndrome is anxiety due to loud noises or excessive activity. The treehouse provides her a place of peace and tranquility, where her dreams and imagination run wild.

“This is a truly remarkable event that brings together our commitment to improve safety with a desire to help those in need and support the community.”

Shell Deer Park General Manager Nathan Levin at the ribbon-cutting

The initiative to help Carolyn was announced in 2021, with construction completed this Spring. The Deer Park team is thrilled to be extending its partnership with Make-A-Wish to grant another wish in 2022 through its safety observation program. 

Granting Wishes in Pennsylvania

Shell Polymers Monaca, several contracting companies and local businesses joined forces to host the fifth annual Pennsylvania Chemicals Charity Golf Tournament that raised funds for Make-A-Wish Pennsylvania and West Virginia and The Franklin Center of Beaver County, a nonprofit that supports disadvantaged residents in around Beaver.

More than 30 sponsors, comprised of construction contractors, asset contractors, and local union halls came together as one to raise $85,000 for wish kid Jackson and his parents to go to the Florida theme parks. As a 5-year running total, the event has now raised over $650,000 for local charitable organizations.

Following the event, Jackson’s mother Jade proclaimed, "her faith in humanity has returned." She and her husband were blown away by the attention the golfers provided to Jackson.

We are so honored to be a part of making wishes come true. Helping a family in need and a nonprofit organization that services the underserved is a great way to demonstrate care and concern for our neighbors. A fantastic event with a great cause and a wonderful way to be a part of the fabric of this community!

Bill Watson, General Manager, Shell Polymers Monaca

More About Make-A-Wish

Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana is one of 59 chapters throughout the United States. Since its inception in 1984, the program has granted nearly 10,000 wishes to local children, with 415 wishes granted in 2021. By 2025, the group’s goal is to double the number of wishes granted annually and influence the healing journey of children through the magic of a wish experience. Learn more about Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana.

Make-A-Wish Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia was founded in May 1983 in Pittsburgh and has granted more than 20,000 life-changing wishes throughout PA and WV. The local chapter includes 57 counties in western, central and northeastern Pennsylvania and all of West Virginia. Learn more about Make-A-Wish Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Visit our Manufacturing Sites

Norco Manufacturing Complex

Shell`s Norco Manufacturing Complex features both refining and chemicals facilities and is recognized as one of the largest and foremost petrochemical facilities in the United States.

Deer Park Chemicals

Shell Deer Park is a 1,500-acre complex located in Deer Park, Texas, approximately 20 miles east of downtown Houston.

Shell Polymers Monaca

Shell is currently constructing a petrochemical complex in Western Pennsylvania. The overall site measures approximately 800 acres – with a core manufacturing and logistics area of approximately 386 acres. The site is located along the Ohio River in Potter Township, Beaver County – approximately 30 miles northwest of Pittsburgh.