Gena Lee Nolin

MAKES A WISH
“It’s not about the car you drive or what you have materially.
It’s family, healthy children and it is to be cherished.”

BY RUSSELL DANDRIDGE

reading a book in the hospital or stylist for sure. I almost enrolled at

M
ost people will remember
listening to them and their dreams.” Vidal Sassoon hair academy in Santa
Gena Lee Nolin from the
One of her most moving Monica.”
popular television series
experiences with The Make A Wish On a personal level, Nolin admits
“Baywatch,” but these days Gena
Foundation came while she was still to being a “total paper geek.” In fact,
Lee Nolin is much happier talking
working on “Baywatch.” She the Duluth, Minnesota native
about philanthropy. A mother and
remembers, “There was a terminally secretly reveals that among her
wife, Nolin has three children and
ill boy who came to the set. He hobbies she has started an invitation
works diligently with, among other
wanted to meet the cast and was [so company called Paper Couture. She
organizations, the Make A Wish
happy] just hanging out chatting. I also believes that her upbringing
Foundation.
remember how strong and brave his made her the humble, grounded
“I’ve worked with a couple of
family was, I could see the pain in person she is today.
groups for awhile. I want to give as
his mother’s face and that killed me. “I think I see things differently,”
much to as many [groups] that move
I’ll never forget how simple his wish she adds and these days she is seeing
me,” she explains. “I was named
was and how it was something I took much of her life differently with her
honorary woman of distinction 2007
for granted daily.” children involved. She prefers to
for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation,
While there are a few things that donate most of her time to family, as
and I have recently become involved
Nolin says she would change in her motherhood, she says, has given her
with Save the Children’s Make Time
life right now, time management everything she ever wanted.
for Change. Jennifer Garner is on that
issues and multi-tasking to name “Family comes first,” she
board.” Lending her image in the
two, overall she’s happy; after all, concludes, adding “I’m also working
past to various PETA media
she does believe she is living her on a book about postpartum
campaigns, Nolin said she has also
dream. depression and I have a couple
recently considered getting involved
“Somewhere deep inside I knew mommy style shows in the works,
with the American Heart Association
I had to be an actress,” she says. “I but in so many ways working with
as well.
was going to school at SMC to study these foundations has changed my
Nolin got involved with the Make
interior design, I modeled a bit and life. You really become aware of
a Wish foundation back when she
ended up landing one show after the your own life, what really
was still on “Baywatch,” saying that
next. I was lucky to have been able to matters and it’s not about the
there are many highlights of working
work so consistently. I knew I had to car you drive or what you have
with the foundation, including
be on stage. I always felt like there materially. It’s family, healthy
“Seeing the kids light up when you
was something bigger and better for children and it is to be cherished.” 
help, whether it be your time,
me. If not that, I would be a hair
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