Latest news with #Make-A-Wish
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Make-A-Wish Connecticut's Sunflowers for Wishes fundraiser starts in Griswold
GRISWOLD, Conn. (WTNH) — Make-A-Wish Connecticut celebrated its 39th birthday Friday, the day before the 22nd annual Sunflowers for Wishes fundraiser begins at Buttonwood Farm in Griswold. New Haven kicks off new park clean-up initiative Sunflowers for Wishes, which has raised over $2 million for children with critical illnesses over 22 years, runs from 10 a.m. to dusk July 19-27. Make-A-Wish said in a statement that is the equivalent of 200 wishes granted. Buttonwood Farm, located at 473 Shetucket Turnpike, expects more than 300,000 sunflowers to bloom over the 14 acres of farmland this year, and will be available for purchase while supplies last. It costs $3 per person to enter the cutting field, and another $3 for each flower cut. All proceeds go to Make-A-Wish Connecticut. Sunflowers for Wishes is the only time of the year sunflowers are available for purchase at Buttonwood Farm. The farm also features over 50 flavors of homemade ice cream, which will include a sunflower flavor during the festival. In a celebration Friday, Make-A-Wish kids Selena and Chloe each wished to visit Disney, which Chloe called the 'biggest playground. Charlie wished to travel to London and meet actress Emma Watson. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Hamilton Spectator
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
Navigate Honda Indy Toronto: Tips on tickets, road closures and event details
The Honda Indy, one of Ontario's largest annual sporting events held in Toronto, is happening this weekend at Exhibition Place. A post shared by Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto (@hondaindy) The event kicks off with Make-A-Wish's Free Fan Friday Friday, with gates opening at 9 a.m. for a full day of practice sessions that include Radical Cup Canada, USF2000, USF Pro 2000 and Miata Canada Cup. An autograph session will be held at Heritage Court at the Enercare Centre from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., and qualifying races and first practice rounds go live from 3:05 to 4:25 p.m. Fans will also have access to off-track features at the grounds like premium food and drink, a truck stop section, merchandise stands, interactive displays, and an Ontario Honda dealers pit stop area. A post shared by Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto (@hondaindy) On Saturday, qualifying races will begin at 8:30 a.m., followed by a second practice round and competitive racing at noon and 4:20 p.m. At 6:40 p.m., cyclists can enjoy a rare opportunity to ride the 2.8 kilometre, 11-turn temporary circuit. The main event begins on Sunday just after 12 noon, followed by final races for the Radical Cup Canada and Miata Canada Cup. Fans are encouraged to use Toronto's GO Lakeshore line to Exhibition station for the 'easiest commute without the worry of traffic or parking,' according to the Honda Indy website . GO Transit will be offering a special general admission plus round-trip fare, and children under 12 ride free and are admitted for free throughout the event if attending with a ticketed adult. For TTC commuters, get off at Union Station and board the 509 Harbourfront streetcar westbound, get off at Strachan and Fleet, and walk half a kilometre to Exhibition Place at 100 Princes Blvd. A post shared by Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto (@hondaindy) Here are the notable road closures to consider for commuters and those who will be driving in the general area of the races this weekend. Traffic agents will be on-site from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. all weekend at Strachan Avenue and East Liberty Street, Liberty Street and Hanna Avenue, and Dufferin and Liberty streets. Ticket prices start from $50 for general admission on Saturday, July 19, and can go as high as $1,550 plus tax for a three-day VIP Club pass. You can choose from single-day tickets to two- and three-day pass tiers. To get tickets, visit .
USA Today
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
‘Is this real?' How Disney makes wishes come true for critically ill kids
Jamie Martinez didn't imagine her family on a Disney vacation in Hawaii. 'I didn't picture my daughter going to the beach again, swimming again,' the Los Angeles mom said. Her 6-year-old, Luciana, was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor, medulloblastoma, in January of last year. 'When something like that hits your life out of nowhere, the last thing you're thinking about is doing something like this,' Jamie said. 'We were just thinking about that specific moment and how to bring her out of that.' Each day, families with critically ill children face hardships most people can't imagine, but Make-A-Wish can. For more than 40 years, the nonprofit has been granting their kids life-changing wishes through partners like Disney. 'They were the only ones thinking about the future,' Jamie said. 'They were able to picture that for us.' Disney is Make-A-Wish's largest wish grantor, fulfilling more than 165,000 wishes since the first official wish for then 7-year-old Frank "Bopsy" Salazar at Disneyland in 1981. Most of those are park-related. Disney Experiences Chairman D'Amaro serves on Make-A-Wish America's national board of directors and his niece is a Wish alum. At a Star Wars-themed Wish event at Disneyland last year, he told USA TODAY, 'We've been thinking about how can we continue to make these experiences even more immersive, even richer, even more memorable for these Make-A-Wish kids.' This spring, Disney properties around the world did just that for scores of families like Luciana's during Disney Week of Wishes and Aulani Wish Week. The royal treatment Nearly 50 Wish families were treated to a two-day Once Upon a Wish Party at Walt Disney World in Florida. Lilly Fernandez of Chester, New York, chose Disney World 'because I wanted to see the castle and the other Disney princesses. And I got crowned princess, so now I'm not just Lilly. I'm Princess Lilly!' The 6-year-old has been battling Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia since March of last year. Her mom, Heydi, said Lilly takes her chemotherapy 'like a champ,' but it's been tough. 'We have some good days and some bad days." The Disney days were good ones. 'It was so magical, and I was like, 'Is this real or am I like just asleep?'' Lilly said. 'I danced, and I was playing with Pluto. And I was pretending to be a squirrel, so he was chasing me.' The kids were treated to a royal ball, a pajama party and other special surprises. 'Just seeing Lilly happy and just for that moment, it just felt like we were in a dream,' Heydi said. 'I'm sure that a lot of parents felt the same, where they saw their kids happy, being that they have gone through maybe months, maybe years of going through what they're going through with their health.' Give Kids the World: This Florida resort gives critically ill children the chance to just be kids A hard journey A post shared by Make-A-Wish Oregon (@makeawishoregon) 'This journey, honestly, in day-to-day life, it is hard,' said Linda Pham of Beaverton, Oregon. 'My son can be fine right now. The next day he can be in the ER fighting for his life.' Her 5-year-old Raiden has UBA5, which UMass Chan Medical School describes as an ultra-rare neurodegenerative disease. 'Think of cerebral palsy that can get worse over time and causes epilepsy, as well,' said Raiden's dad, Tommy. 'And his brain ... it's kind of like frozen in time. Maybe it's like a five, six-month-old.' Raiden also can't control his body and is non-speaking, but his dad says they're closer to getting gene therapy. At home, Raiden's parents take turns caring for him around-the-clock, with help from their 7-year-old, Jordyn. Linda and Tommy also juggle full-time jobs and work on the Raiden Science Foundation, which they started to raise awareness and funds for rare disease research for kids. 'We never really have a moment together as a family, so this week has been incredible,' Tommy said. They chose Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii for Raiden's wish because he loves the water, and Linda said he giggles like a baby whenever anything Disney is on TV. The Phams shared laughs and reconnected on the trip. They also connected with other Wish families. 'Having a family that understands and to be able to relate to when they're there, it just makes you part of a community, too,' Linda said. Full of hope Luciana's family knows the importance of community. 'That reminder that there's someone else looking after you, that you're not alone, that is huge,' Jamie said. Make-A-Wish gave them something to look forward to, at Aulani. "It brought us out of all that routine of going to the hospitals, going to every appointment,' Jamie said. 'Like you're able to picture again how your life was, but now with a different sense of view that's full of hope.' What she didn't imagine was that Luciana would be done with cancer treatment and in remission by the trip. 'I go to the pool and dance, said hi to Moana and Stitch,' Luciana said. 'And then I went to a luau. I went to see the sunset.' The pool was her favorite, but she called the whole experience exciting. "That filled our hearts so much,' Jamie said. Make-A-Wish America says 87% of alumni consider their wishes a turning point in their treatment and 99% of doctors say wishes help ease the family's traumatic stress. Any child being treated for a critical illness may be referred to Make-A-Wish by their parents, legal guardians, family members with detailed knowledge of their current medical condition, medical professionals, social worker or child-life specialists.
Malaysian Reserve
30-06-2025
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Blue Water Partners with Make-A-Wish to Bring Hope And Inspiration To Children
Blue Water's Delaware properties to fundraise for organization's local chapter OCEAN CITY, Md., June 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Blue Water, a premier outdoor hospitality company, is proud to announce a meaningful new partnership with Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley. This collaboration aims to bring visibility, awareness, and impactful fundraising to Blue Water's Delaware properties, empowering both guests and team members to support life-changing wishes for local children facing critical illnesses. As part of this initiative, Blue Water will provide co-branded marketing materials across its Delaware locations to spotlight the Make-A-Wish mission, including sharing the story of Leo, a 7-year-old from Sussex County what has bravely battelled leukemia, who lived his dream of visiting the Georgia Aquarium thanks to Make-A-Wish. Guests visiting these properties will see visible on-site signage, including scannable QR codes that allow for quick and easy donations. In addition, Blue Water is integrating a donation add-on at the time of booking, giving guests the opportunity to contribute to the foundation with just one click. 'This partnership goes far beyond fundraising. It's about standing alongside an organization whose mission transforms lives,' said Todd Burbage, CEO of Blue Water. 'At Blue Water, we believe in creating meaningful moments, and aligning with Make-A-Wish Delaware allows us to extend that impact to children and families facing extraordinary challenges. We're proud to support this cause and know our guests and team members will rally around it with compassion and purpose.' The collaboration reflects Blue Water's continued commitment to giving back to the communities where it operates. Through shared storytelling, staff engagement, and guest participation, this partnership will help fuel wishes that bring strength, laughter, and renewed hope to children throughout Delaware. Participating properties include Bay Resort Waterfront Hotel, Jellystone Park at Delaware Beaches, and Sun Outdoors Rehoboth Bay. For more information on Blue Water, please visit To donate directly to the Make-A-Wish Foundation Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley chapter, please visit About Blue Water: Founded in 2002, Blue Water specializes in investing, developing, and managing RV resorts, campgrounds, hotels, and attractions. Blue Water's integrated approach to marketing, revenue management, and operations has quickly established itself as a hospitality industry leader. With dozens of resort-area properties in East Coast states from Maine to Florida, and new additions out west in Texas, Montana, and Oregon, the Blue Water family is committed to creating elite assets, delivering exceptional guest experiences, and enhancing the communities we serve. To learn more, visit LinkedIn: | Facebook: ABOUT MAKE-A-WISH® PHILADELPHIA, DELAWARE & SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY:Make-A-Wish® creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. We seek to bring every eligible child's wish to life because a wish is an integral part of a child's treatment journey. Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight their illness. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the world's leading children's wish-granting organization, serving children in every community in the United States and in more than 50 countries worldwide. Together, generous donors, supporters, staff and more than 24,000 volunteers across the U.S., grant more than 25 wishes every day. Since 1986, Make-A-Wish® Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley has fulfilled over 8,400 transformational wishes for local children with critical illnesses. For more information about Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley, visit Tim Wright, The Cyphers Agencytim@
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Blue Water Partners with Make-A-Wish to Bring Hope And Inspiration To Children
Blue Water's Delaware properties to fundraise for organization's local chapter OCEAN CITY, Md., June 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Water, a premier outdoor hospitality company, is proud to announce a meaningful new partnership with Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley. This collaboration aims to bring visibility, awareness, and impactful fundraising to Blue Water's Delaware properties, empowering both guests and team members to support life-changing wishes for local children facing critical illnesses. As part of this initiative, Blue Water will provide co-branded marketing materials across its Delaware locations to spotlight the Make-A-Wish mission, including sharing the story of Leo, a 7-year-old from Sussex County what has bravely battelled leukemia, who lived his dream of visiting the Georgia Aquarium thanks to Make-A-Wish. Guests visiting these properties will see visible on-site signage, including scannable QR codes that allow for quick and easy donations. In addition, Blue Water is integrating a donation add-on at the time of booking, giving guests the opportunity to contribute to the foundation with just one click. "This partnership goes far beyond fundraising. It's about standing alongside an organization whose mission transforms lives," said Todd Burbage, CEO of Blue Water. "At Blue Water, we believe in creating meaningful moments, and aligning with Make-A-Wish Delaware allows us to extend that impact to children and families facing extraordinary challenges. We're proud to support this cause and know our guests and team members will rally around it with compassion and purpose." The collaboration reflects Blue Water's continued commitment to giving back to the communities where it operates. Through shared storytelling, staff engagement, and guest participation, this partnership will help fuel wishes that bring strength, laughter, and renewed hope to children throughout Delaware. Participating properties include Bay Resort Waterfront Hotel, Jellystone Park at Delaware Beaches, and Sun Outdoors Rehoboth Bay. For more information on Blue Water, please visit To donate directly to the Make-A-Wish Foundation Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley chapter, please visit About Blue Water: Founded in 2002, Blue Water specializes in investing, developing, and managing RV resorts, campgrounds, hotels, and attractions. Blue Water's integrated approach to marketing, revenue management, and operations has quickly established itself as a hospitality industry leader. With dozens of resort-area properties in East Coast states from Maine to Florida, and new additions out west in Texas, Montana, and Oregon, the Blue Water family is committed to creating elite assets, delivering exceptional guest experiences, and enhancing the communities we serve. To learn more, visit LinkedIn: | Facebook: ABOUT MAKE-A-WISH® PHILADELPHIA, DELAWARE & SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY:Make-A-Wish® creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. We seek to bring every eligible child's wish to life because a wish is an integral part of a child's treatment journey. Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight their illness. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the world's leading children's wish-granting organization, serving children in every community in the United States and in more than 50 countries worldwide. Together, generous donors, supporters, staff and more than 24,000 volunteers across the U.S., grant more than 25 wishes every day. Since 1986, Make-A-Wish® Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley has fulfilled over 8,400 transformational wishes for local children with critical illnesses. For more information about Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley, visit Tim Wright, The Cyphers Agencytim@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Blue Water Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data
