WHAT:  
3rd Annual Walk For Wishes® 5K Walk/Run, a fundraiser (www.WalkForWishes.net) that will help grant the wishes of South Florida children who have life-threatening medical conditions.

WHERE:
Markham Park
16001 W. State Road 84, Weston

WHEN:
Saturday, February 4, 2012
7:30 a.m. - Registration
8:30 a.m. - 5K Walk/Run begins
9:00 a.m. - Family Fun Day begins

PHOTO/VIDEO/INTERVIEW OPS:
There will be more than 1,200 participants — representing businesses, organizations, hospitals, religious groups, and families — running or walking in support of the
Make-A-Wish Foundation mission.  Numerous wish kids (those who have already had a wish granted will be on hand, intent on supporting an organization that brought hope, strength, and joy at a time when they were most vulnerable, as will the foundation’s leadership team.

The largest team is Team Yester/Carnival Revenue Management, led by Make-A-Wish Foundation Board Member Brenda Yester, whose 60 members have already raised nearly $35,000, enough to grant seven wishes.

EVENT HISTORY:
More than $160,000 has been raised at the first two Walk for Wishes events in Broward County, enough to grant the wishes of 32 children.

ABOUT THE FOUNDATION:   
Since 1983, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida has granted more than 8,000 wishes to children who have life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy.  The nonprofit organization serves families in Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Martin, Broward, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lee, Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Okeechobee counties and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  It receives no federal or state funding and raises money to grant wishes through corporate sponsorships, special events, foundation grants, and individual contributions. The Southern Florida chapter grants a wish every 16 hours, every day of the year, at an average cost of $5,000.

For more information, to make a donation, volunteer or refer a child, contact the Foundation at (888) 773-WISH or connect at www.sfla.wish.org and on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

# # #

WHO:
Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Southern Florida (www.sfla.wish.org)

WHAT:
The Make-A-Wish Ultimate Sports Auction, with Featured Guest Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN College Football Analyst

Celebrating its 19th year, the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s annual sports event (www.ultimatesportsauction.net) is the only charity fundraiser that brings together players, coaches, executives, and alumni from the Miami HEAT, Miami Marlins, Miami Dolphins, Florida Panthers, and University of Miami Hurricanes, along with national sports figures.  The celebrity-filled event — which raises money to grant the wishes of local children who have life-threatening medical conditions — includes live and silent auctions, cocktails and dinner.

WHERE:
Club level @ Gate C, Sun Life Stadium (Miami Gardens, FL)

WHEN:
Thursday, March 8, 2012

6:00 p.m. - silent auction and cocktails

7:30 p.m. - dinner and program

COST:
$250 per ticket; tables of ten and sponsorship packages are available

AUCTIONS:
Hundreds of unique experiences, trips, sports memorabilia, and entertainment packages are up for bid, with sports celebrities as the live auctioneers.

HISTORY:
To date, this event has raised nearly $4 million, enough to grant the wishes of 800 children in Southern Florida.

ABOUT MAW:
Since 1983, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida has granted more than 8,000 wishes, enriching the human experience with hope, strength, and joy for families in Broward, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie counties, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  It receives no federal or state funding and raises money to grant wishes through corporate sponsorships, special events, foundation grants, and individual contributions.  For more information, to make a donation, volunteer or refer a child, call (888) 773-WISH or connect at www.sfla.wish.org and on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

CONTACT:
For more information or to reserve seats, call 954-967-9474 ext. 318.

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Registration for all New Volunteer Information Sessions begins at 5:45 P.M. The program is from 6:00 P.M. to 7:15 P.M. Seating is limited, so please call Alina Shaw at 954-967-9474 ext. 309 or email ashaw@sflawish.org to reserve your seat prior to attending. The volunteer application will be distributed at this New Volunteer Information Session. As part of the volunteer application process, each potential volunteer is required to undergo a criminal background check. The fee is approximately $28.00 payable online to the criminal background service. Please bring a photocopy of your driver’s license to expedite the processing of your volunteer application.

Registration for all New Volunteer Information Sessions begins at 5:45 P.M. The program is from 6:00 P.M. to 7:15 P.M. Seating is limited, so please call Alina Shaw at 954-967-9474 ext. 309 or email ashaw@sflawish.org to reserve your seat prior to attending. The volunteer application will be distributed at this New Volunteer Information Session. As part of the volunteer application process, each potential volunteer is required to undergo a criminal background check. The fee is approximately $28.00 payable online to the criminal background service. Please bring a photocopy of your driver’s license to expedite the processing of your volunteer application.

It is truly unnerving to have a life-threatening illness. Having to worry about the next time I’ll be in the hospital or the next life experience I will miss out on. It can get difficult to bring the optimism back, but I work to make sure that there is always optimism. Over the summer, I found out that I was going to have my deepest desire granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and I did not have to fight to be extremely excited. I have always wanted to go to Italy so that was the first thing that I thought of as my wish. The Make-A-Wish Foundation really helped me believe that everything does happen for a reason. All of the other things I had to miss out on because I was sick somehow no longer mattered. I was going to Italy!

Over the holiday break, my wish to go to Rome, Italy was granted. It was the most incredible and magical experience that I have ever had. My family and I were picked up to go to the airport in a limousine and from that moment I knew that this would be the trip of a lifetime. As we landed in Rome, we were able to look out the window and see a beautiful countryside with beautiful architecture. We spent the next week in a four star-hotel in the middle of Rome. We explored the entire city and saw the most famous sites. My family and I got to go shopping, to the Colosseum, Vatican City, the Pantheon, and so much more! We experienced the culture, the cuisine, the language, and the people of Rome. It was the most incredible vacation I have ever had, and the best part was: that it felt like a vacation. Everything was amazing. From the food to the architecture, from the shopping to the people we met along the way. I couldn’t have even begun to imagine how this trip would affect me.

I was able to completely forget my problems and stop worrying about my disease for a whole eight days and just have fun. This trip meant more to me than anyone could ever know. I couldn’t have asked for more, and I definitely didn’t expect as much as I got. It is amazing what the Make-A-Wish Foundation does, and I am thoroughly honored to be one of the wish kids. They made my dream come true, and for that, I cannot possibly thank them enough.

Always,
Tiffany

Wish Granters: Anne Mulhall & Jennifer Prior
Referred by: Noelina Lewis, her nurse
Wish adopted by: Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Cohen