Michael Jordan becomes Chief Wish Ambassador

Michael Jordan, regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time and a successful business leader, now has a new title  – Chief Wish Ambassador for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Jordan was formally introduced in his new role by David Williams, Make-A-Wish Foundation of America president and chief executive officer, at the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational golf tournament. The tournament continues through Sunday at Kerzner International’s Atlantis, Paradise Island resort and Ocean Club Golf Course in the Bahamas.

Jordan, who has granted more than 175 wishes during the past two decades, will serve as lead figure for the Foundation’s newly formed Wish Ambassador Council and as a national spokesman, assisting the Foundation’s efforts to increase wish-granting outreach.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Wish Ambassador Council is composed of people who are passionate about the Foundation’s work, including the Make-A-Wish® founders, celebrities and national sports figures such as Jordan, former wish children, wish parents and Foundation supporters.

“An estimated 27,000 children are diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions in the United States each year, and I’m eager to do what I can to help the Make-A-Wish Foundation reach out to even more of these courageous children,” Jordan said. “Granting children’s wishes through the Foundation has always been important to me. It’s a truly humbling, inspiring experience to see the smiles and joy that granting a wish brings to a child. I want to help even more children have that same opportunity.”

The Make-A-Wish Foundation has increased its number of wishes granted each year since 1985, including 13,425 in 2008, the most in its 28-year history. Yet that many more seriously ill children may be eligible for a wish from the Foundation, creating the opportunity to increase its outreach efforts.

“We are extremely honored for Michael Jordan to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation as our first Chief Wish Ambassador,” Williams said. “Michael is one of the Foundation’s most popular celebrity wish granters ever. He has a great appreciation and enthusiasm for our mission, and we’re delighted for him to help us reach out to even more children with life-threatening medical conditions.”

To celebrate the occasion, Jordan also granted the wish of 7-year-old Donovan Russell of Sacramento, Calif. Russell, along with his family, met his basketball idol in a private meeting Friday at Atlantis, Paradise Island, and he is enjoying a number of activities at the resort as part of his wish experience.

Also on Saturday, the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational made a $150,000 contribution to the Make-A-Wish Foundation as one of the tournament’s charity beneficiaries. The eighth annual tournament will distribute more than $500,000 to selected charities this year.

“We appreciate the generosity of Michael, Kerzner International and everyone involved with the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational,” Williams said. “This wonderful contribution will help us grant the heartfelt wishes of dozens more children who truly deserve the hope, strength and joy that comes from a wish experience.”

10,000th wish is on Parade

The Make-A-Wish Foundation and national sponsors International Union, UAW and General Motors Corporation are celebrating a momentous wish milestone this month – granting the 10,000th wish of their decade-long partnership.

To mark this achievement, the 10,000th wish recipient, Brandon, 10, of Rodney, Mich., and his family will ride on UAW-GM’s float in America’s Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27.

“Thanks to their tremendous generosity during the past decade, UAW-GM and GM have made a real difference for the 10,000 children nationwide whose wishes have been granted and countless others who were a part of their wishes,” said David Williams, Make-A-Wish Foundation of America president and chief executive officer. “I want to express our gratitude for their commitment to children such as Brandon in helping make their heartfelt wishes come true.”

Brandon, who was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma and recently finished a difficult regime of chemotherapy, met his all-time favorite player, former Detroit Lions star Barry Sanders, during the Lions’ Nov. 9 home game. He was also the team’s guest at practice Nov. 7, where he received armfuls of autographed memorabilia from the Lions and met several current Lions players and coaches.

“My favorite part of the wish was watching Brandon’s face at his first Lions game – he was yelling and cheering, and you could just tell he was loving it,” said Brandon’s mother, Darlene. “Barry was just so nice. He talked with [Brandon and his dad] about hunting and what kinds of things Brandon likes to do for fun. I just sat back, smiling. I couldn’t believe it was happening.”

As part of the sponsorship, UAW-represented GM workers and GM dealers across the country have participated in fundraising on both national and local levels and committed their personal talents to wish granting – restoring vehicles, building playhouses, planning wish-granting parties and giving families a ride to the airport, among other activities.

“Making a commitment to community and these children, both personally and financially, is something that matters tremendously to UAW-GM people and GM dealers across the country,” said Diana Tremblay, vice president labor relations, GM North America.

“For those who have had the opportunity to share the power of a wish®, it’s a moving experience that will never be forgotten,” said Cal Rapson, UAW vice president and director, GM department. “I have heard it said more than once, you truly get back more than what you give, and it’s been our privilege.”

Some wishes granted through the sponsorship have been quite practical, such as an assistance dog or special equipment to help the child communicate or become more mobile. Other children’s imaginations have taken them to the moon and back, such as Johnny, 11, from Downey, Calif., who visited Kennedy Space Center and had lunch with an astronaut. The first wish granted in 1999 was to refurbish a Chevy truck for a 16-year-old Aliquippa, Pa., boy.

Hope’s Wish becomes a movie

The most any of us can wish for is to leave this world a better place for our having been in it. Soon the world will know how 12-year-old Hope Stout left this world a better place when she died of cancer in 2003. Her inspirational story is the subject of a feature-length film to be shot in the Charlotte region during December and January.

Before she dies Hope Stout stated her ‘wish’ to the Make a Wish foundation was

for the 155 other children on the waiting list for the foundation would receive their

wish.  Hope’s story and efforts raised over $1.1M to grant those wishes before she

passed.

The cameras will start rolling at Bank of America Stadium during the Panther’s home game Dec. 8. Hundreds of local crew members will be hired, including some who will film Charlotte streetscapes for the movie’s holiday segments. Filming will be on hiatus over the holidays and resume in mid-January when the more dramatic segments will be shot. Pre-production, which has begun, editing and finishing all will be done in Charlotte. Joanne Hock, co-founder of Charlotte-based Emulsion Arts, has written the original script. The cast, including some well-known stars, will be announced in a few weeks.

When Rick Eldridge, president and CEO of The Film Foundry, a Charlotte-based film production company, and head of Independent Producers Alliance (IPA), moved back to Charlotte 13 years ago, he was determined to help build the regional industry and support local film community any way he could.

“Although I can’t shoot every film here, I try to as much as possible,” Eldridge said. His current release “Running the Sahara,” which he co-produced with Matt Damon, was filmed in Africa. “However, this is very much a Charlotte story. The people of Charlotte who rallied around Hope and her wish are the same people who have rallied around the film. And the movie will let the world know how thousands of people were touched by Hope’s wish that Charlotte’s Make-A-Wish Foundation grant the wishes of all 155 of the other terminally ill children on its list.”

Beth Petty, director of the Charlotte Regional Film Commission, said that Charlotte has all the locations and talent needed for this project. Petty leveraged those assets to recruit movies, such as “The Patriot,” “Talladega Nights” and “Leatherheads,” among others.

“We are very appreciative of Rick Eldridge, Bert Hesse, Joanne Hock and all the other film industry professionals who have chosen to call Charlotte home,” Petty said.

Executive producer Bert Hesse of Charlotte-based film production company Synthetic Fur, has been working closely with Hope’s parents, Stuart and Shelby Stout, for the past three years to bring Hope’s story to the big screen. He and Eldridge are committed to using the film as a vehicle to expand Hope’s dream of fulfilling other children’s wishes through the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the family’s non-profit, the March Forth with Hope Foundation.

The producers also are working closely with Carolinas Medical Center to shoot on the floor on which Hope died. Since that floor is being renovated, filming would not disrupt patient care. The Charlotte production companies are partnering with Dean River, a production company based in Los Angeles with which Eldridge worked on “The Ultimate Gift,” to produce the film.

20th Century Fox is handling the theatrical and DVD releases. PorchLight Entertainment will be the international distributor. The producers say they plan to release Hope’s Wish in time for the 2009 holidays.

Eleven Celebrities honored by Make-a-Wish

The Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of America announced 11 celebrities and industry insiders as recipients of its 19th annual Chris Greicius Celebrity Awards. The honorees were selected for their exceptional dedication to the Foundation’s mission by helping grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

The recipients are:

Celebrity Wish Granters

• Actor George Lopez
• The cast and crew of the NBC TV series Deal or No Deal
• Recording artists Rascal Flatts
• Donald Trump, Chairman & President of the Trump Organization
• Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki
• Palace Sports & Entertainment, owner of the NBA Detroit Pistons

Industry Icons

• Howie Schwab, ESPN’s TV series Stump the Schwab
• Dean Kurtz, chief guest-services officer for International Speedway Corporation
• Lori Rischer, artist manager & radio/marketing executive at THE FIRM
• Kenny Ortega, Disney’s High School Musical director, choreographer and producer
• Spooky Stevens, unit publicist

“The gift of time these winners offer is invaluable and ensures that each wish they are involved with brings unparalleled joy,” said David Williams, Make-A-Wish Foundation of America president and chief executive officer. “Their commitment to our mission creates irreplaceable memories and moments of joy for children facing life-threatening medical conditions. We are so grateful for their support, and hope that other children will share the power of a wish® with their help.”

Started in 1990, the Chris Greicius Celebrity Award is named in honor of the 7-year-old boy whose 1980 wish to be a police officer inspired a group of caring volunteers to fulfill his dream and later create the Foundation, now the largest wish-granting organization in the world.

Make-A-Wish^® chapters nominated celebrities for their efforts during the past year to grant amazing wishes to the wish kids who wanted to meet them. The Foundation’s Celebrity and National Sports Program staff chose the Chris Greicius Celebrity Award winners from those nominations and also selected industry icons for their dedication to wish kids in creating and planning memorable wish experiences for them.

The Celebrity and National Sports Program facilitates the wishes of children who ask to meet their favorite TV or movie star, musician, athlete, entertainment personality or other public figure. During fiscal year 2008 (ending Aug. 31), the Make-A-Wish Foundation fulfilled 880 celebrity or national sports wishes, about 6 percent of the more than 13,000 total wishes granted by the nonprofit organization.

About the Make-A-Wish Foundation: The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is now the largest wish-granting charity in the world, with 66 chapters in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish every 40 minutes and has granted more than 171,000 wishes in the U.S. since inception. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit www.wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish^® .

Game, Set, Wish: Secrest meets Agassi

Pennsylvania Wish Kid Meets His Tennis Idol, Andre Agassi

Mark Secrest had only day-dreamed about hitting tennis balls on center court with his all-time favorite tennis player, Andre Agassi. Then on Sept. 27, Mark found himself volleying shots and trading tennis stories with the eight-time Grand Slam champion when The Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation^® and the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® teamed to grant his wish.

Secrest, an 18-year-old from Huntingdon, Pa., met Agassi on Saturday during the Bryan Brothers’ All-Star Tennis Smash at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, Calif. He and his family arrived in a limousine to find a red carpet waiting for them.

Agassi arrived soon after, and he was ready to show Secrest some of his best tennis tips. They spent more than an hour volleying on the stadium court, with Agassi coming to the net and offering Secrest pointers several times. They wrapped up the session with a friendly game – as they played, tennis fans were trickling in for the afternoon of charity matches. They cheered as Agassi and Secrest exchanged shots. Occasionally, Agassi would fire a full-power, pro-style blast over the net, delighting his wish student.

“It is the most amazing thing that could ever happen to you, if you like tennis,” Secrest said, savoring the memory.

Afterward, Secrest enjoyed the use of the VIP locker room and again met up with Agassi. Secrest offered him a few gifts to remember the occasion: Huntingdon Tennis t-shirts for Agassi and his wife, plus a Penn State sweatshirt. Agassi also had a parting gift for Secrest – the racquet that he used during the charity event, which he autographed.

“That’s sitting in my room, at home where nobody touches it!” Secrest said, laughing.

He added that the wish brought joy to his family who accompanied him – parents Alan and Kathy and brother David.  Every bit of it, from his health obstacles to meeting Agassi, is a blessing in Secrest’s eyes.

Agassi thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to make Secrest’s wish come true. Reflecting on the day, Agassi commented, “Mark is an engaging, soulful young man who taught me to enjoy and appreciate the time we have. It was a privilege for me, more than Mark will ever know, to be a part of his wish.”

When he wasn’t getting tennis advice from Agassi, Secrest also watched a pro-am doubles match featuring James Blake. The two met after the match, and he also spent time chatting with the event hosts, Mike and Bob Bryan, who recently won the Olympic men’s doubles bronze medal and their second U.S. Open men’s doubles title. Secrest also caught a glimpse of women’s tennis star Lindsay Davenport.

Secrest’s mother, Kathy, marveled at the time Agassi devoted to her son’s wish. She was told the tournament was Agassi’s only public tennis appearance for 2008.

“And he chose to spend an hour with my son,” Kathy Secrest said. “Mark got the greatest gift of all.”

About the Make-A-Wish Foundation: The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is now the largest wish-granting charity in the world, with 66 chapters in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish every 40 minutes and has granted more than 171,000 wishes in the U.S. since inception. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit www.wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish^® .