Highlights of Recent Events

They Did It!

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York Board Member Mitti Liebersohn , together with his son Remy, spent the month of July attempting to climb to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro (19,350ft!), raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York.

We're excited to report that on Friday 7/18 at 2:42 pm THEY DID IT!!! We're so proud of them and hugely impressed by their spirit and stamina. In Mitti's own words the grueling climb was, "without question the single most physically, mentally and emotionally difficult experience of my life." On the other hand, he adds that "I can now clearly say this was the life experience I was hoping to share with him [his son, Remy] - It was simply incredible!!!!" Both had pledged to use their ten-day trek to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York, for which we are very grateful. To date, they have raised more than $23,000 ! To learn more about how to support and honor Mitti and Remy's efforts, please visit www.m etrony.wish.org/kilimanjaro

When You Wish Upon A Star - 25th Anniversary Gala

On June 11, 2008 we celebrated our chapter's 25th Anniversary Gala at Cipriani Wall Street. More than 600 guests joined us in honoring Jim McCann , CEO and Founder of
1-800-Flowers.com and Jonathan M. Nelson , CEO of Providence Equity Partners Inc.

World-renowned photographer and judge of the hit TV show "America's Next Top Model" Nigel Barker acted as master of ceremonies of this elegant event, which raised more than $1.6 million to help grant wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Heartfelt thanks go to all sponsors and supporters and the members of our Wish Alumni Network , whose personal perspectives on the lasting power of a wish touched the hearts of everybody in the room.

Have fun browsing through the photo gallery that represents some of the wonderful people and magical moments that made the evening so special.

New York City Celebrates Destination Joy!

Mayor Bloomberg's office, for the second year in a row, proclaimed June 5, 2008 " Make-A-Wish Day " in celebration of our national campaign " Destination Joy presented by Lay's ." This campaign aims to raise awareness and resources to allow us to continue to say "yes" to the wishes of ALL eligible children nationwide.

Dedicated wish granter Donald Trump got "on board" the Make-A-Wish double-decker bus to meet and welcome the wish kids and their families, who then traveled on to the famous Carousel in Central Park, The Chelsea Art Museum and the deliciously sweet Jacques Torres Chocolate Bar . We appreciate the support of all stops on our bus ride, who gave so generously of their time, goods and services. An additional thank you goes to HD CBS2 News Anchor Chris Wragge , who did a fantastic job as our celebrity tour guide, entertaining wish kids and parents alike with his charm and enthusiasm.

Enjoy some of the many snapshots we took on that special day in the photo gallery to the left and help us spread the word that "we all have the power to grant a wish!"

Wine & Wishes 2008

A record number of over 700 philanthropic wine enthusiasts and gourmets gathered at Pier Sixty on March 26, 2008 to enjoy exquisite wines and delicious food while supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The 5th Annual Wine & Wishes event, hosted by The Charmer Sunbelt Group , was a resounding success.

Spirits were elevated and generous throughout the evening, thanks to the presence of wish child Lauren and her family, guest-host CBS2 News Anchor Chris Wragge , and the charming auctioneer Lydia Fenet from Christie's.

Although final numbers are not yet available, it is safe to say that we reached our goal to surpass lasts year's fundraising results. Our heartfelt thanks go to Charles Merinoff , Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Charmer Sunbelt Group, and his team , for their tireless efforts, expertise and dedication to this fundraising event.

WishFlight Takes Off for Florida

When our local wish child Oluwasefunmi and her family left on her wish to go to Walt Disney World® Resort, her flight was unlike most of the other flights our wish kids travel on. She was on the WishFlight!!! Caring volunteers from the Something mAAgic Foundation® joined with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to bring joy to a local child by helping her take off on the wish of her dreams. Once a year, American Airlines flies children from around the world on WishFlight to Orlando, Fla., for their Make-A-Wish experience. The children and their families participate in several events, including bon voyage parties in their departing cities, welcome parties in Orlando and a special celebration at Give Kids The World® Village in Kissimmee, Fla., where Oluwasefunmi was about to stay for a week.

Something mAAgic Foundation volunteers, comprised mainly of American Airlines, American Eagle and American Airlines Federal Credit Union employees, work year-round to raise funds and plan the WishFlight festivities. The group has raised close to $500,000 for wish kids around the world since 1996. This year, 27 wish families were involved in the WishFlight program and the La Guardia American Airlines staff simply outdid themselves for little Oluwasefunmi!

Not only did she receive a princess tiara and princess shoes as she checked in at the beautifully decorated, exclusive check-in counter, she was also met by an AA employee dressed up as Cinderella, who then escorted her and her family through security and to the gate where the send-off party had been prepared for her. Along the way our little princess and her guardian were photographed by many "paparazzi" who just couldn't get enough of this enchanting sight!

The entire gate area was decorated with balloons, streamers, confetti and all guests there were treated to cookies, candy and drinks served by the flight attendants who were working the flight. As she entered the ramp to board the plane, Oluwasefunmi was greeted by a huge sign that welcomed her on board. And that's not all! The wish family's first class seats were all decorated and all the kids received some more presents. Once everybody was on board, all other AA employees who stayed behind gathered to wave good-bye to our wish child. They were joined by the ground crews who all held balloons and the sign and waved. Seeing the kids' faces as they looked out the windows of their planes was priceless!

Our thanks go to American Airlines and all the volunteers of the Something mAAgic Foundation® for their caring support and generosity.

Merrill Lynch New York City Sets Goal of Granting 50 Wishes

We are thrilled to welcome the New York City Region of Merrill Lynch to the Make-A-Wish family. Merrill Lynch New York City has partnered with us for their "Big Apple, Big Dreams" workplace giving program and their goal is to raise enough resources to grant 50 wishes in Metro New York.

The campaign began in early October, and we are impressed by the enthusiasm and generosity of the Merrill Lynch employees of the five offices in our region.

"There are so many causes that capture your attention," comments Brian Sepe, Regional Managing Director, New York City Region, Merrill Lynch, "but when you are thinking about brightening the lives of children facing life-threatening medical conditions, it's something that resonates with everybody."

It is always inspiring to learn about the many personal connections people have to our cause. We met one current Merrill Lynch employee whose son is scheduled to have his wish granted in December. Others shared how they perceive their business mission of helping their clients' hopes and dreams come true correlating well with the Make-A- Wish mission. Some Merrill Lynch employees are so excited to make wishes come true that they have created fun events in their offices to raise awareness and funds, such as an ice cream day, a Halloween costume contest, silent auctions and more.

The campaign, which runs through mid-November, is off to an incredible start with one office already raising enough resources to grant six wishes. We are grateful to Merrill Lynch and their regional employees for so enthusiastically welcoming us and embracing our mission.