Massachusetts

Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island gives dream treehouse to local girl

Published

2 years ago

September 1, 2024

Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island gives dream treehouse to local girl

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) – For decades, Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island has been making dreams come true for sick children and their families, and today, the organization granting one local girl’s wish.

Hope Jerginsen, 9, was born with cystic fibrosis, a rare genetic disease that targets the lungs, pancreas, and other organs.

“It’s nice to see your village. You always hear you have a village but to see and to have them all in one spot,” Sarah Jerginsen, Hope’s mom, told us.

On Saturday – surrounded by her village – a dream came true for the Springfield girl. When asked what she wanted, Hope knew a few things were off the table.

“I didn’t want to travel and mom said no pets!”

So instead, the Make-a-Wish foundation made hope a treehouse to play in with her big sister, Penelope.

“We already have slept in it for two days,” Penelope claimed.

“When you have a child who is living with a chronic illness, it’s really hard to put them out into the world and feel like their life is limited somehow. It’s been really joyful to just see the face light up when it arrives,” Sarah, Hope’s mom said.

“This whole wish process has just been really this beautiful interplay of hope and joy and bravery,” she reflected. “It really does bolster your spirit and allow you to just keep going when it’s hard.”

While Sarah says she didn’t know about Hope’s condition when she named her, in hindsight, she says it’s the perfect name for her brave little girl.

“I named Hope, Hope, even before I knew she had cystic fibrosis and I just think it’s such an appropriate name choice. I think being hopeful is really important when living with a chronic illness and I think the delivery of joy is part of developing that hope muscle and to be hopeful you have to be brave.”

Hope tells us she’s excited for all the memories she’s going to make in her new treehouse with her mom and big sister, Penelope. Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island has granted wishes for more than 10,000 kids since it was founded forty years ago.

Western Mass News is a proud media partner of Make-A-Wish.

Source link

Related Topics:children cystic Featured fibrosis gift hope make a wish sick treehouse

Click to comment

Massachusetts

Pedestrian hospitalized after being hit in Waltham

Published

4 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Pedestrian hospitalized after being hit in Waltham

A person was hit by a vehicle Tuesday morning in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Police responded just after 10 a.m. to the crash at the intersection of Elm Street and Carter Street.

Officers began treating the pedestrian, who was then taken to an area hospital with unspecified injuries.

The driver stayed at the scene, the Waltham Police Department said.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Source link

Massachusetts

People are moving out of Massachusetts but the population still grew

Published

16 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

People are moving out of Massachusetts but the population still grew

More people left Massachusetts than moved in from 2024 to 2025, with the state ranking fourth in the nation for net domestic migration loss, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Thousands of residents left the Bay State for other states during that period. Regionally, the Northeast experienced a net domestic migration loss of 205,552, according to the data.

Despite the domestic outflow, Massachusetts’ population still grew by 15,524 when factoring in births, deaths, and international migration.

Here’s what to know about the states with the highest and lowest net domestic migration across the country:

Massachusetts’ net domestic, international migration from 2024 to 2025

From July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2025, Massachusetts had a net domestic migration of -33,340, with 33,340 more people moving out of the state than moving in, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Meanwhile, the state had a net international migration of 40,240, as 40,240 more people moved into Massachusetts from abroad than left.

States with highest net domestic migration from 2024 to 2025

Here were the states with the highest net domestic migration from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2025, according to U.S. Census data:

North Carolina: 84,064 residents
Texas: 67,299 residents
South Carolina: 66,622 residents
Tennessee: 42,389 residents
Arizona: 31,107 residents
Georgia: 27,333 residents
Alabama: 23,358 residents
Florida: 22,517 residents
Idaho: 19,915 residents
Nevada: 14,914 residents

States with lowest net domestic migration from 2024 to 2025

Here were the states with the lowest net domestic migration from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2025, according to U.S. Census data:

California: -229,077 residents
New York: -137,586 residents
Illinois: -40,017 residents
New Jersey: -37,428 residents
Massachusetts: -33,340 residents
Louisiana: -14,387 residents
Maryland: -12,127 residents
Colorado: -12,100 residents
Hawaii: -8,876 residents
Connecticut: -5,945 residents

New England states’ net domestic migration from 2024 to 2025

Here’s how New England states ranked on net domestic migration from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2025, according to U.S. Census data:

Maine: 7,406 residents (ranked 18th nationally)
New Hampshire: 6,554 residents (ranked 22nd nationally)
Vermont: -726 residents (ranked 34th nationally)
Rhode Island: -1,551 residents (ranked 36th nationally)
Connecticut: -5,945 residents (ranked 42nd nationally)
Massachusetts: -33,340 residents (ranked 47th nationally)

Census regions with highest net domestic migration from 2024 to 2025

Here’s how the four Census regions ranked on net domestic migration from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2025, according to U.S. Census data:

South: 357,790 residents
Midwest: 16,040 residents
West: -168,278 residents
Northeast: -205,552 residents

Source link

Massachusetts

Planning a staycation? Tripadvisor recommends this MA city

Published

1 day ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Planning a staycation? Tripadvisor recommends this MA city

Are you thinking about spending some time off but don’t want to splurge on a big international vacation?

A summer 2025 report found that many Americans are choosing nearby staycations over changing time zones.

And Tripadvisor said one of the best travel experiences you could have in the United States would actually be a guided walking tour in Salem, Massachusetts, and the Freedom Trail walking tour in Boston.

As part of 2025 Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Things To Do, Tripadvisor said that History and Hauntings of Salem Guided Walking Tour is the second-best experience in the U.S.

As we move on from 2025 onto 2026, here’s what you need to know about this Bay State travel opportunity.

Tripadvisor said Salem has the second best experience in the U.S.

Tripadvisor said the History and Hauntings of Salem Guided Walking Tour is one of the best experiences in the United States. Its AI summary tool said the tour guides paint a vivid portrait of one of America’s most macabre towns.

Here’s what Tripadvisor said about it: “There are many Salem tours out there but few are as compelling as this one, led by a local historian who brings alive the city’s history at the time of day you choose. For a spookier experience, pick a nighttime tour led by lantern light. Visit the Burying Point Cemetery, Witch House, and Ropes Mansion garden as your guide tells stories of the haunted history of Salem, Massachusetts.”

The itinerary says the tour begins at Salem Old Town Hall and ends at Hamilton Hall, visiting sites like the Bewitched statue of Elizabeth Montgomery and The Witch House at Salem on the way.

You can book History and Hauntings of Salem Guided Walking Tour at this link here. Be aware that this event is booked 23 days in advance, the tour’s Tripadvisor page said.

Kathleen Wong contributed to the reporting of this story. Rin Velasco is a trending reporter. She can be reached at rvelasco@gannett.com.

Source link