Provided
On February 24, 2018, Make-A-Wish® South Carolina celebrated granting wishes at their fifth annual Wish Ball. Event sponsors, attendees, and guests together raised a record of more than $266,000 to grant the wishes of local children.
Held at the University of South Carolina Alumni Center, the evening offered guests a cocktail hour where they enjoyed delicious culinary offerings by Southern Way Catering while bidding on premier items.
Throughout the evening the program offered remarkable stories about the life-changing impact wishes have – beyond just medicine. Guests discovered the deeply moving and impactful way lives are powerfully altered by following the wish experience of wish kid, Eli, through virtual and live presentations. They also had the pleasure of hearing from Mike Cipriani of SJC Drums. Mike became a Make-A-Wish advocate after helping grant a wish for Goose Creek wish kid, Jose. At the Wish Ball, Mike happily shared his story with attendees and told how his life has been impacted by a wish.
The highlight of the evening was the on-stage live granting of 3-year-old Bristol's wish for a service dog. Bristol battles a nervous system disorder which makes playing more dangerous than for an average child. Her wish will empower her to play, knowing that her dog will be able to alert her family if there is a concern. It was a powerful moment as master dog trainer, Kimberly Brenowitz of Animals Deserve Better presented Bristol's puppy to her.
Following the program, an energetic live auction offered guests the chance to bid on a filming experience with the hit television show Live PD generously donated by the Richland County Sherriff's Department. Other amazing items included in the auction were getaway and golf packages, dining experiences, one-of-a-kind jewelry and a luxury runner's vacation package. After the live auction guests danced the night away to the sounds of The Palmetto Groove Band.
“We can't express enough how grateful we are to our generous benefactors, and to all who donate their time, money and heart to make this event a success. They are the true believers of magic; and at the Wish Ball they supported that by helping to change the lives of courageous South Carolina children with critical illnesses.” said Bill Tiller, Make-A-Wish South Carolina President and CEO.
Major event sponsors included: Trusted Choice, Convergent Technologies, Pure Fishing, Ball Fresh Preserving, Gregory Pest Solutions, Innova Therapeutics, Shakespeare, Publix Supermarket Charities, Assured Partners and Gruen Digital Marketing.
Mark your calendars for next year's event on February 23, 2019 . To secure an early sponsorship, contact Misty Farmer at mfarmer@sc.wish.org or 864.250.0702. For more information about Make-A-Wish, visit sc.wish.org.
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This is an unedited press release
