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Wishmaking Monthly
Make-A-Wish Regional GKTW Summit to be Held in Chapter
Make-A-Wish ® America chapters from throughout the Northeast as well as volunteers will be hosted in late April by Make-A-Wish ® Northeast New York for regional training by Give Kids the World Village®. GKTW is the special resort utilized by Make-A-Wish families visiting Walt Disney World ® Resort, Universal Studios and other area attractions in Florida.

Representatives from GKTW and Make-A-Wish America will give presentations to chapter staffs on April 24, and to wish granters April 25. Wish granters are strongly urged to attend in person or via video conference call. Participation is free.

Mark your calendars now. More information, including times, locations and how to sign up, will be coming out in the near future.
Save the Date: Wish Gala March 28
"When Stars Align" is the theme for the 22nd annual Make-A-Wish Northeast New York Wish Gala, set for 6 p.m. March 28 at the Hall of Springs at Saratoga Springs.

Once again there will be live and silent auctions (with an online component), with Tom Stebbins handling the lively bidding. Fine cuisine, drink, music and dancing will accompany the black-tie affair as we celebrate the mission of Make-A-Wish America as it approaches its 40th anniversary.

Of course, the stars of the night are our wish ambassadors -- and you! And you can expect more than a few surprises on a night that promises to be as memorable as it is rewarding.
Cameron Gets Gamed, and Started on Career
When Make-A-Wish Northeast New York wish kid Cameron arrived by limo to video game development studio Vicarious Visions, he thought he was getting a behind-the-scenes tour and a chance to talk with developers. And he did.

When he was asked to pose for photos in front of Christmas decorations with those designers, family and his wish granters Jesse and Russell Matteson, he was thrilled.

Then came the shocker, when the 17-year-old was told to turn around: Those wrapped gifts were in fact not decorations, but his wish -- a high-end computer gaming system with all the accessories that Cameron himself picked out.
Sponsors Sign on to Weibrecht Event
March 15 Ski Day at Whiteface
Make-A-Wish Northeast New York is very pleased to announce the addition of three corporate sponsors for its second annual ski event at Whiteface Mountain: Alpin Haus Ski Shops, NBT Bank, and Capital District Physicians Health Plan (CDPHP). The event is scheduled for Sunday, March 15.

This ski event features the opportunity to receive a half-price lift ticket at Whiteface that day for every $10 donation made to Make-A-Wish Northeast New York. In addition, up to 50 skiers will have the unique opportunity to ski and learn race techniques from three-time Olympian and two-time Olympic medalist Andrew Weibrecht, a Make-A-Wish Northeast New York Trustee. The event was created by Weibrecht in 2019.

“We are grateful to these three corporate leaders for their sponsorship,” Weibrecht said. “Through their financial support, these outstanding corporate citizens are helping us to ensure that every dollar raised that day goes to wish granting.”

In addition to the event, limited raffle tickets are available for a three-day, two-night stay at the world-famous Mirror Lake Inn in Lake Placid, a resort owned by the Weibrecht family. Also included in the raffle prize is the chance to ski privately with the Olympic medalist and a ski package for two from Head Skis. Tickets are $25 each and five for $100. The raffle drawing will take place the day of the event at Whiteface and you need not be present to win.

To register for the ski event, purchase raffle tickets or learn more, contact us at (518) 456-9474.
Jack and Bear, Fur-ever Friends
Bear is not a bear – he is a dog. But he is more than a dog. He is a friend, a companion, an aide … and a wish.

Make-A-Wish Northeast New York wish kid Jack met his wish and new best friend Bear, a chocolate Labrador puppy that will be trained as a service dog to be a companion and help with everyday tasks.

Shortly after the reveal at the Vischer Ferry Volunteer Fire Company, Jack, sister Peyton and the rest of the family quickly bonded with the ridiculously adorable Bear. (The name was chosen because it is a word Jack can say.)

“He's going to be a forever friend for him,” mom Meghan said. “He’s going to have a great bond with that dog that is going to be unbreakable.”
Those Single Dollars Added Up (And We Are Still Adding Them Up): Thank You!

Thank you to the wish ambassadors, volunteers, sponsors, schools, businesses and everyone who donated to the Adopt-A-Wish Holiday Campaign. The generosity of so many throughout the 15 counties we serve continues to inspire.

So far the campaign this year has raised more than $195,000 and counting! Those funds will go toward granting wishes to children with critical illnesses right here in the 518 and 838 area codes.

More than 45 schools are still collecting for the campaign. Meanwhile, you can also still donate directly online by clicking on the link below.

Last year this vital fundraising campaign funded 20 wishes.
Make-A-Wish Turning 40: When Stars Align
World Wish Day is celebrated every April 29, the anniversary of what is considered the first wish, granted to 7-year-old Chris Grecius in Arizona.

As Make-A-Wish America marks its 40th anniversary, we will celebrate our mission of creating life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses with our annual Wish Gala on March 28 at the Hall of Springs in Saratoga Springs. The theme, "When Stars Align," is appropriate: It takes all the stars of the Make-A-Wish constellation -- wish kids and families, volunteers, the medical community, donors, business sponsors and staff -- to make magical wishes a reality.

As we look ahead to this anniversary year, we look forward to granting more transformative wishes.

Wishes such as Cameron's computer gaming system, which not only gave him -- in his words -- "a big boost of confidence," but set up the 17-year-old for his future career as an online streamer or video editor.

And wishes such as Bear, a service dog for 3-year-old Jack. Bear -- that's him above -- is not just a pet, but a companion who will be a vital aide to Jack.

The impact of these two wishes -- like so many others and Make-A-Wish itself -- will be felt for years to come.

Sincerely,

Bill Trigg,  CEO, Make-A-Wish Northeast New York