Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Eastern North Carolina Chapter granted a wish of a local girl last week, throwing her a party and giving her a sense of freedom she isn’t used to having.

Friday, nine-year-old Jamie Adams of Washington was surprised with a pool party, at which all of her friends and family members were in attendance. But the surprise ran much deeper than that of a pool party — the foundation’s local chapter gave Jamie a new aboveground pool, granting the child’s wish. Jamie, who is diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, a condition that limits her movement due to the lack of muscle growth, according to Make-A-Wish volunteer Steve Dalberto.

Dalberto said in a pool, with natural buoyancy, Jamie is not confined to her condition’s limits on land, which is why she wished for a pool.

“Her mom, Jessica, said the first time (Jamie) got in a pool, she looked up in the sy and said, ‘I’m free,’” Dalberto said. “She requested that (pool) because she’s in a wheelchair, and with natural buoyancy, she could do what she wanted in a pool.”

Dalberto and his wife, Wendy, who are frequent volunteers for the foundation, were responsible for putting arrangements in motion and worked with the parents to grant the wish, Dalberto said. Not only did Jamie get the wish she wanted, but her new 21-foot in diameter pool is accompanied by a handicapped accessible ramp and deck, which was constructed by a local organization, Caring Christian Carpenters. Materials for the deck and ramp were donated by Garris Evans, a building supply company in Greenville, Dalberto said.

Dalberto said the actual pool was purchased from Pools Unlimited of Washington, who granted a discounted installation for the wish.

“All the volunteer work and donations and discount made it all possible,” Dalberto said.

The day of the party, which was catered by Golden Corral, who donated all the food, Jamie welcomed her friends, family members and some of Washington’s Who’s Who, including Mayor Mac Hodges, Washington Fire Chief Robbie Rose and members of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department, Dalberto said. Hodges declared Jamie “Mayor for a Day” and presented her with a honorary gavel and certificate.

Dalberto said granting Jamie’s wish was particularly unique for them as volunteers because usually the foundation grants wishes like trips, which they are unable to experience.

“It was a blessing that the weather cooperated the way it did because we were expecting rain that day,” Dalberto said. “What was special about this wish — and they’re all unique for that particular child — but we never get to experience the wishes themselves. It was very special to be able to participate in the wish itself.”

“It gets kind of addicting,” Wendy Dalberto said in regard to having a part in granting the wishes. “Realistically, I know the families think we are giving them some great thing or whatever, but for us, I feel like we get more strength from these families than we ever give them.”