Five-year-old Jesse is enamored with Nebraska's "Old West" heritage. Staying true to his interests, he asked volunteers from the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Nebraska to grant his wish to become a cowboy. Conveniently, wish granters discovered that all the ingredients needed to turn Jesse into one of his historical heroes were right there in Fort Robinson State Park. Keeping Jesse in the Cornhusker State was fitting as he was also the chapter's 1,000th wish child!

With sponsorship from a local grocery chain and enthusiastic cooperation from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Jesse, his parents, and his five siblings began their five-day western adventure. They enjoyed a hayride, a buffalo stew cookout, songs around the campfire, stagecoach rides, and a hayrack breakfast. The fun continued with Jeep rides and wildlife tours.

But above all, Jesse's favorite part of his wish was horseback riding. The Fort Robinson State Park superintendent and park wranglers rode with the family on several trips into the Red Cloud Buttes and along Soldier's Creek.

During Jesse's wish, the family stayed in an adobe, which housed officers in the late 1800s. They also saw real buffalo and visited the Fort Robinson Museum. In the end, Jesse had plenty of souvenirs to bring home, including cowboy clothing and a western-themed family portrait.

Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns recognized the significance of the chapter's 1,000th-wish milestone. He offered congratulations by saying, "My hat is off to supporters and sponsors of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Nebraska, who have brought dreams to life for 1,000 young people. Going forward, I hope many thousands of children just like Jesse, who dream big dreams, will live those dreams and experience all that life has to offer."