'Celebrating Wishes' Ball in Greenwich Raises $500,000 for Make-A-Wish Connecticut

Contributed photos: #1: Sam Buck and his parents Allyson and Nick Buck; #2: Ken and Marsha Mifflin with Wish kid Lauren Telesz; #3: Pam Keough, right, with Legacy of Wishes Award winners Rick & Bonnie Dudley— Credit: Meg Reinhardt; #4: Ball committee chairs, Julie Rivard, Sharon Platter, Gina Filippelli and Brooke Bohnsack. Credit: Kristin Hynes / kbphotography.

More than $500,000 was raised at the Make-A-Wish® Connecticut’s annual “Celebrating Wishes” Ball that took place Nov. 7 at the Greenwich Country Club.

The money will go directly to the organization’s mission in Connecticut of granting the wishes of children battling life-threatening medical conditions.

The “Celebrating Wishes” Ball featured dinner, music, dancing, and a beautiful display of almost 200 live and silent auction items available for bid. The evening’s program presented many Wish Kids from recent years, who mingled with guests throughout dinner, shared their wish experiences, and inspired all those in attendance to deepen their relationship with Make-A-Wish, including Sam Buck and his parents Alyson and Nick Buck of Greenwich. Sam, a Glenville School kindergarten student who has Vanishing White Matter Disease (VWM) or leukodystrophy, and his family attended the Formula 1 American Grand Prix in Austin, TX a few weeks back.

The evening also featured the story of 17-year-old Lauren of Fairfield, whose wish is to have her own children’s book published and to become an author. Lauren was diagnosed with cancer in her freshman year of high school, and has had to overcome great struggles throughout the past few years. Her family stood by her side and was a source of inspiration to her during difficult times; Lauren’s children’s book embraces the power and important of family, and on Nov. 7 she was proud to share that thanks to Make-A-Wish, her dream of seeing her book published is becoming a reality.

“Lauren is an incredible young woman, filled with a courage and a maturity that everyone around her notices,” said Pam Keough, President & CEO for Make-A-Wish Connecticut. “She and her family continued to show that courage when they stood in front of hundreds of people and shared some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Lauren’s wish is an inspiration to so many other children battling life-threatening medical conditions. She has shown what the power of imagination can do for your spirit during a time of great need. We were so honored to be able to celebrate their presence at the Ball this year.”

Among the guests were emcees Jodi Applegate and YES Network’s Michael Kay, along with honorary event chairs John Flaherty and David Cone of the YES Network.

“The Celebrating Wishes Ball is the key event in Make-A-Wish Connecticut’s fiscal year,” Keough said. “The average cost of a wish is $10,000, and thanks to the success of this year’s event, we’ll be able to make 50 kids dreams become a reality. Our goal is to grant over 200 wishes this year, so the need for funding is great. We are very grateful for the support of events like the Celebrating Wishes Ball, which enables us to continue to strive towards our vision of reaching every eligible child.”

To learn more about the “Celebrating Wishes” Ball or to become involved with Make-A-Wish Connecticut, visit ct.wish.org.