What if you could turn one of your worst days into one of the best days for a child facing a critical illness and their family?

That’s exactly what Ryan Pickren did. In 2014, the Georgia Tech student played what he considered a prank by hacking into the calendar system of University of Georgia (UGA) before the rivalry football game and adding an entry that Georgia Tech would win the game.
“I wasn’t doing it to be malicious,” said Ryan, whose passion lies in computer engineering and cybersecurity.
But before he knew it, the incident took off on sports blogs and news websites across the country. Eventually, Ryan was approached by a detective from the UGA police department. The 21-year-old faced the potential of 15 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. 
“I was in shock,” Ryan said. For weeks, he faced uncertainty as a trial loomed. “It was pretty scary.”
Ryan’s charges ended up being dropped after completion of a pretrial diversion program that included community service. His arrest and indictment have been expunged, and the record has been sealed. 
Following, Ryan found a legal way to flex his cybersecurity muscles and help protect companies’ digital footprints. The Bug Bounty Program rewards computer programmers for finding and reporting security flaws in their websites.
United Airlines participates in the program, rewarding submissions with frequent flier miles. The more potentially damaging a flaw, the more miles are awarded. Ryan jumped right in. 
At the time, Ryan’s girlfriend had a job in Arizona, so he just wanted to rack up enough miles to visit her. As he got to work, though, Ryan began uncovering security flaws that resulted in millions of miles in rewards. He became the most successful participant in the United Airlines Bug Bounty program, earning 15 million miles total. Ryan has since donated more than half of his total miles to charity: to Georgia Tech student organizations that do charity work, to Eckerd Connects in Tampa, and now to Make-A-Wish.
Today, Ryan finds himself in his dream job as security engineer at Amazon in Seattle, where his girlfriend also works now.
One day, she emailed him a flier. Passionate Amazon employees were participating in a mileage drive for Make-A-Wish® Alaska and Washington, encouraging employees to donate their unused frequent flier miles. The miles would be used to send local children with critical illnesses on their wish trips.
“I started reading about how Make-A-Wish uses airline miles, and realized these miles are core to the Make-A-Wish mission,” Ryan said. “I felt compelled to use the miles I had to help other people. This was a way to give back to kids who don't have the health that I have.
“Plus, I was able to take a really negative part of my life and make a positive difference for a local child.”
Ryan’s donation of 2.5 million miles – the largest in Make-A-Wish history – also saved the Alaska and Washington chapter thousands of dollars in airfare expenses.
“Make-A-Wish has the infrastructure set up to immediately use my miles, and I know they went directly to sending kids on their wishes,” Ryan said. “These are miles that … are changing lives. Knowing that I played a part in giving a child what may be the happiest moment of their life, that could be the best thing that happens to them, is huge.”
Ryan was recently invited to tour the Alaska and Washington chapter’s office, and he was captivated by the Make-A-Wish mission of granting life-changing wishes to children with critical illnesses. “You walk down the halls and you see pictures of kids all around the world,” Ryan said. “The trip they go on with their families, that’s the highlight of their year, their life. It was really powerful.”
Make-A-Wish Alaska and Washington contributed to this story.

Donate Your Airline Miles or Points Today
Nationally, Make-A-Wish would need more than 2.8 billion airline miles or points, or 50,000 round-trip tickets, to cover every travel wish each year.
Every airline mile or point donated helps wish kids and their families travel to destinations around the world. Once donated, your miles and points never expire and are used to support wishes across the country. This is just one simple way you can help grant a life-changing wish experience. It’s easy to do, too.
“With a few clicks, I was able to donate [my miles],” says Ryan Pickren, who recently donated 2.5 million airline miles to Make-A-Wish Alaska and Washington. “I'm so happy that I did. Within a couple days, I could actually see stories about how my miles were being used.” 

Donate your airline miles or points to our Wishes in Flight®program TODAY!
August is Travel Month, and you can help us celebrate #TripsThatTransform by checking out our lnstagram to see all of the amazing places these partners help our wish families explore! And remember to stay tuned to Wish Nation for wish trip stories of Land, Air and Sea. Read more about Make-A-Wish Travel Month here.

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​On March 6, 2018, The Watercraft Superstore hosted their 6th annual Skyway Ski Show. The event started Monday night with a beautiful sunset dinner at Whisky Joe’s. WCSS Manager, Stephanie Mosny, welcomed guests and presented the $5,000 charity donation to Jennifer Jacobs, Development Director of Clothes to Kids.

Clothes to Kids is a nonprofit organization that collects clothing donations for school-aged students. Their stores in Clearwater and Seminole are open to shoppers who have kids that qualify for free-and-reduced lunch in the public school system. Many students in the community are in need of clean clothing to wear to school, especially outfits that meet the school uniform requirements. WCSS’s donation will help Clothes to Kids stock their stores and open a new location in Hillsborough this year. 
 
On Tuesday morning, manufacturers from Seadoo and Yamaha showcased their best PWCs of the season. Panelists took notes on the beach while they reviewed the key features and value of the skis. After the information session, panelists suited up in their new Jet Pilot gear and took off in the Tampa Bay to test drive the skis. Riders spent the morning switching skis and pushing each watercraft to its limit. After the morning ride, panelists returned to the beach for lunch and reflection. Panelists scored the PWCS on categories like ergonomics, speed, value, stability, and most importantly, fun! “It’s a tough job spending your Tuesday playing on the water in the Florida sunshine, but someone has got to do it,” said panelists, Sage Pickren. The winner of this year’s ski of the year award was the Sea-Doo GTX Limited! 

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​Eckerd College has many programs that provides their students with opportunities to learn outside of the classroom and volunteer in the community. One of their more unique programs is the Search and Rescue Team, which Watercraft Superstore has proudly supported for a few years. The students in the program provide volunteer maritime services to the Tampa Bay boating community. They have assisted over 600 boaters and help keep our waterways feel safe. This year, Watercraft superstore donated miscellaneous marine items like whistles, water shoes, and anchors. This donation was valued at about $100. Stephanie Mosny, Watercraft Superstore Manager, expressed her appreciation, “We want our customers to have fun out on the water, but we also want to make sure they are safe. We are lucky to have Eckerd College Search and Rescue Team in our community who shares our same goals.” 

SEI spread some holiday cheer this year by giving away 30 bikes and helmets to kids in the North Greenwood community. The Christmas celebration took place on the corner of N. Myrtle Avenue and Marshall Street in downtown Clearwater, which neighbors the SBT factory. The event was hosted by Mr. O'Neil Larkin, who welcomed all to gather and enjoy the afternoon with family and friends. SEI Manager, Justin Webb, described the event, "Each year our employees feel the Christmas spirit when we support the Christmas event in North Greenwood. Our company donates the bikes and our employees raise money to donate the helmets. Being able to see kids receive the bikes and helmets that SEI donated is something we look forward to every year. Our business is about getting customers out on the water as soon as possible. We like supporting causes that allows kids to get outdoors and be active."

On Sunday, November 19th, 2017, the North Greenwood community celebrated their 15th Annual Thanksgiving dinner. Hundreds of attendees gathered together to share a meal and visit with friends. Marshall Street in Clearwater, Florida was closed down, so the event could virtually take place in SBT's backyard. SBT provided the main course by donating 60 turkeys! Stephanie Mosny, Manager of Watercraft Superstore, commented about the event, "Our employees always love coming to the event and volunteering by serving food to the long line of appreciative families. It brings us closer to our community and starts the holiday season with a spirit of giving." 

On September 29th, 2017, SBT proudly sponsored the 10th annual Pretty in Pink Charity Tennis Tournament. Proceeds from the event were donated to "My Hope Chest," a non-profit organization that offers financial assistance to uninsured and underinsured breast cancer survivors who need reconstructive surgery. SBT chose to be a "Hot Pink" sponsor and  donated $500 towards the cause. Alisa Savoretti, survivor and founder of My Hope Chest, shared her story:

As summer comes to a close, SBT and Watercraft Superstore continue their mission of supporting the community and local public schools. Sandy Lane Elementary and Skycrest Elementary were selected again this year to receive a donation of t-shirts for their faculty and staff. The two schools are located in North Greenwood and are in close proximity to the companies' factories. Student t-shirts were also donated to Sandy Lane Elementary and will be sold by the PTO as a fundraiser. Sage Pickren, director of community outreach, explains the companies' decision to donate, "Public schools are often under funded and lack resources that help promote healthy school climate. T-shirts increase school spirit and improve teacher morale, which has large impacts on student growth and achievement. It's nice to see our company logos around the community on the back's of hardworking educators who are improving the lives of young children."

Watercraft Superstore donated three $50 gift cards to the event. Stephanie Mosny, WCSS General Manager, commented about the donation, "We enjoy sponsoring the Grand Tour each year. It's events like these that keep the jet ski industry alive. We also love that it's for a great cause!" The Grand Tour raised $18,500 for Leader Dogs for the Blind. To learn more about the organization, visit www.leaderdog.org.

About Watercraft Superstore: Watercraft Superstore is the largest online supplier of personal watercraft parts, apparel, and lifestyle accessories in the world. Watercraft Superstore's annual magalogue is distributed to over 100,000 subscribers. The company is located in Clearwater, Florida. For more information, visit www.watercraftsuperstore.net.

​On July 11, 2017, Ryan Pickren donated one million United Airline frequent flyer miles to Eckerd Kids Foundation in Clearwater, Florida. Pickren earned the frequent flyer miles by participating in a “bug bounty” program established by United Airlines. He discovered numerous vulnerabilities in the company’s website and reported them to the airline in exchange for miles. Over the past year, Ryan Pickren, has accrued over fifteen million miles, breaking the record for the most miles held by an individual. In an effort to support his local community and provide continued support to a favorite Pickren family community partner, Ryan Pickren made his donation valued at $20,000 to Eckerd Kids Foundation, a non-profit organization that advocates for children’s rights and well-being. The foundation assists youth in times of instability and provides families in need with access to resources and services in the community. Eckerd Youth Foundation is a national leader for advocacy of children’s rights and best practices in prevention and intervention for children who are at-risk. David Dennis, president and CEO of Eckerd Kids Foundation, responded to the donation, “We are so grateful to you for all your many years of support of our Vision of ensuring every child has an opportunity to succeed.” The Pickren family is a continued supporter of Eckerd Kids Foundation. The organization was the 2017 recipient of a $5,000 donation from Watercraft Superstore’s annual charity event, The Skyway Ski Show. 

On Saturday, May 20th, 2017, families in the North Greenwood community gathered for some good food and friendly competition. Participants submitted BBQ rib samples to be judged by community leaders like O'Neil Larkin and the Clearwater Chief of Police, Daniel Slaughter. SBT donated $750 to help sponsor the event. Greg Pickren, Owner of SBT, attended the event and commented, "We are proud to be part of a community with so much life and culture. I look forward to attending the Ribfest Cookoff each year and I never leave hungry."