Faces & Places

2009 St. Louis Gala Celebrates The Wonderful World Of Wishes

Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Missouri supporters took a trip around the world on Saturday, November 14th, and they didn’t even need a passport. All the journey required was a seat at the 2009 Wish Gala. This year’s theme was A Wonderful World Of Wishes.

Travel adventures account for more than half of the wishes we grant every year. Most of the Wish Kids pick Disney World for a week’s worth of excitement, but trips to California, Hawaii and Europe are also popular destinations.

More than 260 people attended this year’s festivities, held once again at the Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis. Guests were treated to a
live performance by the band Reggae Redemption, whose music is a blend of jazz, classical, rock and calypso. Continuing the exotic theme of the evening, the lavish dinner menu contained special dishes from around the globe.

This year’s gala decorations had an interesting twist. Professional designers created nine ‘Tablescapes’ that represented some of the worldly destinations our wish families have enjoyed. The Tablescapes were later sold as part of our Silent Auction. Thanks to Botanicals Design Studio, CLB Interiors, Kuhlmann Leavitt Inc., Decor Interiors and Jewelry, Directions In Design Inc., Ellen Kurtz Interiors, Edwin Pepper Interiors, Lori Olsen McElvain/Castle Design and Nehring Design for their beautiful work.

Gala guests were delighted to hear from two special families during the program. Wish Child Joe talked about his trip to the Grand Canyon, while Wish Child Taylor talked about her upcoming journey to the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas.

Special thanks go out to this year’s Gala Chair, Gail Sneed from UMB Bank. We also want to salute our Signature Sponsor Emerson, Wish Pro Sponsors Anheuser-Busch Companies and Wells Fargo Advisors, Wish Granter Sponsors American Airlines, Edward Jones and UMB Bank, and Wish Partners Carmody MacDonald, Deloitte LLP, Dowd Bennett LLP, Fifth Third Bank, Graybar Electric, Greensfelder Attorneys At Law, Joseph & Sandra Lehrer and Monsanto.

Celebrity Server Dinner Tops $1 Million In Donations

The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Missouri and the St. Louis Rams reached a major milestone at the 2009 Celebrity Server Dinner. Total donations over the 15 years of the event now top $1 million!

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar once again hosted the special dinner, and Rams quarterback Marc Bulger served as emcee for the 4th year. More than a dozen Rams players and the cheerleaders raised money by selling autographs and collecting tips.

Rams players who worked as Celebrity Servers included quarterbacks Kyle Boller and Keith Null; offensive linemen Jacob Bell, Jason Smith, Jason Brown, and Richie Incognito; running back Steven Jackson;
linebacker James Laurinaitis; long snapper Chris Massey; tight end Randy McMichael; and punter Donnie Jones. The Rams cheerleaders included Megan, Aundrea, Raven, Michelle, Megan and Valerie.

Rams owner Lucia Rodriguez and her family attended the dinner and made a surprise donation to the live auction--a trip for four to an upcoming Rams game on the road, including seats on the team plane and a room at the team hotel. Thanks to all our sponsors for
making the Celebrity Server Dinner such a success!

Hot Air Balloonists Put On Light Show To Support

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri

More than 2,000 people attended the 3rd annual Stories of Light Hot Air Balloon Glow in Eureka on Saturday, November 7th. Route 66 State Park hosted the event.

The weather was perfect for the outdoor festivities, which included 9 hot air balloons, live music by the band Ethospire, and a visit by Santa Claus.  Familes brought blankets to enjoy the music and the beautiful colors radiated by the balloons.

Thanks to everyone who helped make the event such a success.   To see photos, click here.

Huge Crowd Turns Out For Springfield Hallowish Party

Elvis was there, and so was James Dean.  The guest list also included Jim Carrey, the Baywatch crew, Indiana Jones, David Beckham and Marilyn Monroe. The 2009 Hallowish costume ball was the place to be in Springfield on Friday, October 30th.

The Springfield Regional office put on the bash, which took place at the Zan nightclub. Besides all the amazing costumes, there was great food, plenty of beverages for all, lots of decorations and the hottest tunes blasting across the dance floor.  

An estimated 150 people attended Hallowish.  Springfield Regional Office Director Jackie Barger said, "This was a wonderful way to spread the Make-A-Wish message while raising money for the special children we serve.  I want to to thank all the Board members, sponsors and volunteers who made Hallowish so special this year.

Click here to see Hallowish Photos

The 2009 Hallowish sponsors included:

The Layman Group—Morgan Stanley Smith Barney;

Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP

RB Murray Property Management;  Dynamic Body—Pilates, Yoga, Massage; Parkcrest Dental Group; Wehr Construction; Hamilton Properties Corporation; Fireworks Supermarket; Aleshire Robb

KPM, CPAs; Mike Breeding Agency—State Farm Insurance; Mayse Automotive Group; Mario & Kimberly Pineda; Missouri Insulation & Supply, Inc.; Alan & Camille Lockhart; St. John’s Clinic

Rightclick Creative—Jake Petefish; The Print Group, Inc.; GO Magazine; Power 96.5 FM; 417 Magazine; ZAN—The Club

Marc Bulger, Rams Teammates Push Celebrity Server Dinner Total Above $1 Million!!

The 14th annual Celebrity Server Dinner was a huge success on Monday, September 28th, at Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in Frontenac.   Marc Bulger served as the honorary host for the fourth straight year.  More than a dozen teammates helped serve meals, collect tips and sell their autographs.  The event raised more than $105,000 and pushed the 14 year total for the Celebrity Server Dinner above $1 million.  Click here to see photos of the event.

Among the many guests, Rams co-owner Lucia Rodriguez and her family.  Ms. Rodriguez made a wonderful addition to the auction by offering two seats on the team's charter plane and a stay at the team hotel.   She also asked one of the Wish Kids at the dinner to do the ceremonial coin toss at an upcoming Rams game.  Rams offensive lineman Richie Incognito paid the highest price for an auction item-- a 9 week old yellow laborador retriever.

We want to thank all our sponsors, including:

Signature Sponsor

Western Waterproofing Company 

Wish Pro Sponsor

Kmeier Roof Systems, Inc. 

Wish Friend Sponsor

Jonny G Foundation 

Wish Granters

American Equity Mortgage

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

Graybar Electric

St. Louis Rams

US Fidelis 

Wish Partners

American Radiolabeled Chemicals

David & Jill Hauck Family

Emerson

John Lucas-Lucas Sales

Rubin Brown LLP

LuAnn Bott Named Chapter President & CEO

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri has appointed LuAnn Bott as the organization’s new President and CEO.  Bott began her duties on September 1st, and replaces retiring Chapter President and CEO Sandra Lehrer.

Bott has 30 years of experience in the non-profit sector.   She comes to Make-A-Wish after serving four years as Executive Director for the American Heart Association’s Greater St. Louis Division, Midwest Affiliate.  Prior positions within the American Heart Association include Regional Vice President of the Greater Boston Division, National Heart Walk Consultant and Metro Executive Director for the Greater St. Louis Division.

Before joining the American Heart Association in 1996, Bott spent 16 years with the March of Dimes.   She served as Acting Executive Director of the Greater Missouri Chapter, as well as Director of WalkAmerica for the Greater St. Louis Chapter and the Greater Missouri Chapter, and Director of Development and Coordinator of Special Events.  

Ben Bishop, Board Chair for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri, said, “We are so fortunate to have LuAnn as our new President.  She has devoted her career to serving and improving life for others.  LuAnn is a perfect fit for the Make-A-Wish mission and we look forward to her leadership in growing our chapter across Missouri.” 

Bott replaces Sandra Lehrer, who retired from Make-A-Wish after nearly 13 years.  Her many accomplishments include overseeing chapter expansion from the metro St. Louis area to the entire state and part of eastern Kansas.  Board Chair Ben Bishop said, “This was uncharted territory for us, and Sandy did an outstanding job overseeing our growth and handling all the challenges that came with it.  Our successful transition is a testament to her leadership, vision and determination.”

The number of wishes being granted doubled during Lehrer’s tenure as President and CEO.   “It’s been an honor to make wishes come true for these special children.  When I was first hired, people said I would be good for Make-A-Wish. As it turned out, Make-A-Wish was great for me, “ said Lehrer.

Springfield Golf Classic raises more than $15,000 for area wishes

The course at Millwood was in perfect shape for a day of great golf for a great cause on Monday, June 22nd.  Millwood hosted the Springfield Golf Classic for the second straight year.  Fifty players took part in the tournament, which raised money for Sprinfield area wishes.

The thirteen teams included a special father-son duo.   Wish Teen Jacob, who recently received an electronics wish, played 18 holes with his father.  It was  wonderful way to spend the day, and an opportunity for Make-A-Wish supporters to see the difference a wish can make. 

While having fun was important, there also was some serious competition for the lowest team score of the day.   The winning team was from Husch Blackwell Sanders, which earned a spot in our upcoming Sponsors Challenge golf tournament.   The Husch Blackwell Sanders team will take on the winners of Make-A-Wish golf tournaments in St. Louis and Springfield. 

Trick shot artist and national long drive champion Dan Boever gave some golf tips on the course, and then put on an amazing show at the driving range.   Dan is a resident of Springfield, and an avid supporter of Make-A-Wish. 

We want to thank all the teams that played, as well as the hole sponsors and other donors to the tournament.   Price Cutter put smiles on lots of faces by holding a drawing for 10 gift cards, each of them worth $100!  Click here to see photos from the Springfield Golf Classic.

Hundreds of Car and Motorcycle Enthusiasts attend the 2009 St. Louis Ride For Wishes

A great time was had by all at the inaugural St. Louis Ride For Wishes, held June 6th and 7th at the Sara Lee business complex in Earth City.  The two day event features hundreds of motorcycles and classic cars, along with lots of vendors, kids activities non-stop music and participation by the C.O.B.R.A. police dogs, which are specially trained to handle bomb, drug and rescue situations.

Wish Child Nathan was the 2009 Ride Ambassador, and he was treated like a king.  Among the many gifts he received, a special leather riding jacket and a police dog puppy! 

Thanks to all the sponsors, including Sara Lee, Vinson Mortgage, Emmis Communications, Miller and Pabst beers and The Biking Life magazine.  We also appreciate the terrific work of emcees Katie Kruze and Joe Mason plus the music of the Chain Drive Band, The Blend, Borderline, Leather & Lace, the Brett Daniels band and the Arbogast Band.

  Click here to see photographs from the ride.

2009 Carnival Of Wishes A Huge Success

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri held the annual Carnival of Wishes on April 26th for all of our wish families, and everybody had a great time at the celebration.  The Carnival is normally held in September, but last year the remains of Hurricane Ike pounded the area with rain, flooded our headquarters and forced us to cancel the event.  Queeny Park once again hosted the party.

The kids and their families were treated to lots of games, music, bounce-houses, clowns, a juggler and an endless stream of great food.

The Gateway Viper Club, which consists of people who own Dodge Vipers, brought their sports cars again this year.  But an added treat for the kids--the Viper Club gave them model cars and then helped the kids put them together. 

Thanks to all the volunteers who made the carnival such a success, and we greatly appreciate all the food that was donated by Russo's Gourmet Catering.  To see photos from the Carnival, click here.  

Sandra Lehrer Honored By Midwest CEO Magazine

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri President and CEO Sandra Lehrer has been picked by Midwest CEO Magazine as one of the 50 Influential Women in the region.  The magazine chose women leaders who are “role models, mentors, entrepreneurs and women of spirit who chose to make the most out of the opportunities they found.”

Lehrer has been the Chapter President and CEO for more than a dozen years.  The past year has been the most challenging of her career for two reasons-- a Make-A-Wish restructuring that put the entire state of Missouri within the St. Louis-based Chapter, as well as a flash flood in September 2008 that destroyed the Chapter’s Ladue headquarters.  Board President Ben Bishop, Junior, praised Lehrer’s tireless dedication to the Make-A-Wish mission.  “Expanding our Chapter territory and spearheading the flood recovery have proven to be very difficult tasks, and Sandra has handled each one with exceptional skill and leadership. Equally important, she has done a terrific job providing strong fiscal management while overseeing the granting of the highest quality wishes to the special children who we serve.”  The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri has offices in St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield.

Lehrer and the other Influential Women award winners were honored Thursday, March 5, at a special ceremony in Kansas City.

Early Morning Snow Doesn't Deter Springfield Walkers

More than 400 people laced up their walking shoes on Saturday, February 28th to help Springfield area children who are battling life threatening medical conditions.  An inch of snow fell before dawn, but the second annual Springfield Walk For Wishes still had a huge crowd. 

KY3's Ned Reynolds once again served as the emcee.  The stage at Battlefield Mall hosted all kinds of musical and theatrical entertainment as groups of walkers continued to work their way around the mall for more than an hour. 

Springfield Program Center Director Jackie Barger said, "I am humbled but not surprised by this year's show of support for the special children who are served by Make-A-Wish.  The Walk truly shows these families how much we as a community stand behind the daily challenges that they face."

Thanks to ANPAC, the BKD Foundation, Great Western Bank, Dynamic Body Pilates, Walmart, Midwest Family Radio and the Community Free Press for their financial and media support.

St. Louis Walk For Wishes Sets Attendance Record

An estimated 1,000 walkers gathered at the West County Center mall on Saturday, February 21, to take part in the 4th annual St. Louis Walk For Wishes fundraiser.

Jill Devine from 93.7 The Bull and Fox 2's John Pertzborn served as emcees for the event.  The festivities began with a performance by the Performing Arts Centre Competition team, which entertained the audience as they registered for the walk.   At 9am, Wish Child Daviona cut the ribbon and a sea of concerned citizens began their trek through West County Center.

As walkers gathered in the food court for the awards ceremony, the Show-Me-Sound F.O.C.U.S. Drumline put on an amazing performance that got rave reviews from the audience.  Wish Child Daviona then received her wish--a shopping spree that included a laptop computer, a DVD player and lots of clothes! 

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri wants to thank Presenting Sponsors Anthem and City, Wish Granter Sponsors 93.7 The Bull and Fox 2, Wish Partner Sponsors UMB and Mississippi Lime, Wish Friends Herbster Hellweg Painting Company, AAA, American Express Incentive Services, Kellwood, G.S. Robins and Company, and Conley Insurance Group for their support.   And, thanks to the 50 teams that helped make the day such a terrific success.   To see photos from the walk, click here.

KTUI Radio and West Brothers Ford Mercury Team Up For Make-A-Wish Radiothon In Franklin County

Donors, volunteers and Wish Kids teamed up on Saturday, August 9th, at a Franklin County radiothon hosted by KTUI and West Brothers Ford Mercury.  The three hour event gave listeners a chance to hear about the Make-A-wish mission and how it makes a life-long difference for children with life-threatening medical conditions. 

KTUI donated the airtime, and West Brothers Ford Mercury in Sullivan, Missouri, donated the space, manned the phones and sold food and drinks, with all proceeds going to help grant wishes to children in Franklin County. 

Several Wish Kids shared stories about their wishes, and how the experienced affected their entire families.  The CARSTAR Super'Stang was also on display in the West Brothers Ford Mercury lot. 

The radiothon raised nearly $3,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri.  We offer our heartfelt thanks to everyone at West Brothers and from KTUI Radio for all their hard work.

Carmody's Pub and Eatery Hosts Charity Extravaganza

for Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri

It was a great time for a great cause on Sunday, June 8th, as the staff of Carmody's Pub and Eatery hosted the Carmody's Charity Extravaganza at the Ballwin restaurant.  The parking lot was turned into an outdoor carnival for the event, which featured live music, great food and drink, games for the entire family, haircuts and massages, a silent auction, bingo plus a monster truck!  

For the past several months, Carmody's has also been selling cookbooks that contain recipes from customers, family friends and lots of Make-A-Wish supporters.  This is the second straight year that Carmody's has dedicated a fundraiser for Make-A-Wish, and it was a smashing success.  This year's event raised more than $32,000, which will grant the wishes of five children with life-threatening medical conditions.

We offer a very special thanks to Carmody's owners Joe and John, plus all the staff and friends who worked so hard to make the Extravaganza such a success, including BJ, Sharon, Gail, Holly, and Renee. 

        Click here to see a photo gallery from the party.

"Golden Tee" Tournament Scores A Hole-In-One

For The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri

Tournament organizer Jeff Harlow, DonorPerfect's    Tournament winner Ed Godfrey and

J.P. Biedermann, Make-A-Wish Foundation of             tournament organizer Jeff Harlow

Missouri fundraiser Krista Goszewski and VG4U

organizer Casey Brock

121 of the best video golfers in the world headed for St. Charles in February to show off their skills, and to help raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri.  Side Pockets Restaurant and Sports Bar hosted the Players Charity Championship II, which lets players of the Golden Tee video golf game show off their skills.  Golden Tee is the most successful coin-operated videogame in history.  The tournament was organized by the group Video Golfers for Underdogs (VG4U), which is dedicated to having fun while raising money for worthy charities.

The three day tournament resulted in a new Golden Tee champion and, more importantly, raised more than $42,000 for Make-A-Wish!!  The players raised that money by creating personal fundraising websites, and then having family, friends and co-workers make donations on their behalf.  A special thanks to the Side Pockets staff and everyone who helped make the tournament such a huge success.

Make-A-Wish of Missouri staff member Krista Goszewski was on hand to accept the donation. "When Make-A-Wish gets $5,000 we all smile ear-to-ear," she told the crowd.  "So when we receive more than $40,000 we can't even put it into words!

Walkers Hit The Malls In St. Louis And Springfield To Raise Money For The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri is celebrating two successful Walk For Wishes events in St. Louis and Springfield.  An estimated 900 people attended separate walks at West County Center in suburban St. Louis and at Battlefield Mall in Springfield.

Walk For Wishes is a special fundraiser that brings together Make-A-Wish supporters, volunteer and Wish Families all for a common cause.   The Walks in St. Louis and Springfield each featured music, dancing and other family-friendly entertainment. 

This was the third annual Walk for Wishes for the St. Louis Program Center and the inaugural Walk for Wishes in Springfield.  We offer a special thanks to Ameristar and National City as the Signature Sponsors in St. Louis, and a special thanks to Community Free Press, Great Southern plus radio stations 92.9 Bass County and Star 105 for sponsoring the Springfield walk.

To see a photo gallery from the Springfield Walk, click here.

To see a photo gallery from the St. Louis Walk, click here.

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri Honored At Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior, Dream Conference In St. Louis

CEO Sandra Lehrer and King Dinner Co-Chair Bill Donius

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri was honored as a 2008 King Organization Of The Year at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior, Dream Conference in downtown St. Louis.   Make-A-Wish was among 7 non-profit organizations and two newspapers that received the award for being "dedicated to making a difference in our communities."

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri CEO and President Sandra Lehrer accepted the honor on behalf of the organization.  Lehrer cited the following quote from Dr. King as she praised all the volunteers who represent Make-A-Wish: Everybody can be great because anybody can serve.  You don't have to have a college degree to serve.  You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve.  You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.

Lehrer's acceptance speech brought one woman to tears.  The woman has a young relative who recently received a wish, and knew first-hand how important and beneficial the Make-A-Wish mission is in our community. 

While Dr. King had a dream, Lehrer said she had a wish--that all babies would enter the world healthy and stay healthy as they grew up.   Until that wish comes true, Lehrer promised that Make-A-Wish would continue its work to bring hope, strength and joy to every child with a life-threatening medical condition. 

    Missouri Bar & Grill Donates $20,000 To Make-A-Wish

   MoBar owner Trifon Panopoulos (left) presents check to John Wolff

Organizers of the annual Missouri Bar & Grill Golf Tournament held a special dinner on Friday, January 18th, to celebrate the success of their annual fundraiser that benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri.

The event, held in August of 2007, was the most successful yet and resulted in a $20,000 donation to Make-A-Wish.  MoBar, as the locals refer to it, began raising money for Make-A-Wish in the early 1990's because of a police officer who often ate at the restaurant.  The officer had a child who received a wish, and MoBar owner Trifon Panopoulos was so impressed by the impact of that wish he began hosting Make-A-Wish fundraisers. 

If you enjoy golf -and- enjoy helping a great cause, the next Missouri Bar & Grill Golf Tournament is already in the planning stages for August 2008.  To become a sponsor or to sign up as a player, call 314-231-2234.

Ameristar Casino St. Charles Donates 800 Pounds Of Coins

To Make-A-Wish Of Missouri

Ameristar Casino St. Charles gave Make-A-Wish an early holiday present-- all the coins that were thrown into its fountain during the past year.  Casino officials don't have a dollar value on the coins, but they do know the weight of them--more than 800 pounds!! 

Cleaning the fountain is an annual job done by casino employees, and the cash is always given to a local charity.   Because many people make a wish before tossing money into the fountain, Ameristar officials decided that a gift to the Make-A-Wish Foundation was the perfect place for the coins to go.   It took three 55 gallon trash cans, each filled nearly halfway, to handle the weight of the coins.  And when all the money is counted the value could top $10,000!

Even before the coin gift, Ameristar has been extrememly generous to our organization.  The casino recently made a $40,000 contribution to the current Make-A-Wish Stories of Light fundraising campaign.  In a special presentation on Wednesday, December 19th, Ameristar Casino St. Charles Senior Vice President and General Manager Jim Franke presented that gift to Make-A-Wish right in front of the fountain. KSDK, FOX2 and the Suburban Journal newspaper was there for the presentation.

Between the coins and the fundraising gift, Ameristar's generosity will pay for at least 8 wishes!    To the entire Ameristar staff, a heartfelt thank you from Make-A-Wish and all the families that we serve.  And thanks to the people at McCarthy Construction, who moved the donated coins to a safe location for counting.   As soon as we have a total we will pass it on to you. 

Coins and bills recovered from fountain       Make-A-Wish's Laura Boone accepts check  

           Ameristar Senior VP Jim Franke                Ameristar crew that recovered coins

Chesterfield Law Firm Turns Blue Jeans Into Wishes

If you think raising money for Make-A-Wish is hard, take a look at how easily the Millsap

& Singer law firm came up with more than $2,500 to help our mission.. Employees could wear blue jeans once a week, in exchange for a donation to the law firm's charitable fund.   During the year, Millsap and Singer employees collected more than $5,000

for their dress-down fund.   Where to donate the money was left up to the employees,

and they picked the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri as one of the two non-profit recipients.  To everyone at Millsap & Singer, we appreciate your support!

Cars, Crafts, Bikes and Hot Air Balloons

Help Kick Off Stories Of Light Fundraising Campaigns

In St. Louis and Springfield, Missouri

Hot air balloon glows in Springfield and St. Louis marked the beginning of the annual Stories of Light fundraising campaign by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri.  The fundraising goal of more than $200,000 will help fund nearly 35 wishes by children with life-threatening medical conditions.

A hot air balloon glow capped off a full day of activities at Jefferson Barracks Park in St. Louis. The day began with a craft fair, followed by a motorcycle and classic car show.   The band Leather and Lace provided the entertainment at the park amphitheatre.  As the sun went down, nearly two dozen hot air balloons started going up throughout the park.  Pilots from the Gateway Aerostatic Association donated their time and equipment to light up the roads with a beautiful rainbow of colors. 

In Springfield, Make-A-Wish of Missouri teamed up with the city of Ozark for an evening of festivities.  After watching the annual holiday parade wind its way through Ozark, people headed to Finley River Park where nearly a dozen hot air balloons were added to the normal holiday light display in the park.   Five dollar donations per car were collected as part of our fundraising efforts. 

Donations to the Stories of Light campaign are vital to accomplishing our mission of providing special wishes to any child with a life-threatening medical condition.  In St. Louis, please call 314-918-WISH to make a credit card donation or to request a donation envelope.  In Springfield you can call 417-873-WISH.  Thank you in advance for helping us share the power of a wish. 

Visitors check out the cars in the classic car show

Make-A-Wish, St. Louis Cardinals Team Up For Most Successful Fundraiser In Chapter History

From Left: Honorary Co-Chair Mark Lamping, Gala Co-Chair Joyce

Capshaw, Gala Co-Chair Molly Sansone, Emcee John Rooney,

Honorary Co-Chair Cheryl Lamping

Donations to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri reached a record $280,000 on Saturday night at the 13th annual Wish Gala at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Clayton.   St. Louis Cardinals President Mark Lamping and his wife Cheryl served as honorary chairs for the event.  The theme of the evening was Take Me Out To The Gala, and included appearances by former Cardinals Ken Reitz, Rick Horton, Kerry Robinson and current Cards pitcher Tyler Johnson.

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri CEO Sandra Lehrer says she is overwhelmed by the community’s continued support of the organization.  “Setting this fundraising record is a testament to how committed St. Louisans are when it comes to helping families that face a medical crisis,” said Lehrer.  “Our Gala success is a tribute to the total dedication by the Lampings and by Gala co-chairs Molly Sansone and Joyce Capshaw.  On behalf of all our Wish Children, I offer them my heartfelt thanks.” 

Wish Children Carter and Cole          

Fredbird entertains Gala guests	Ken Reitz & Wish Child Cole
Scott Rosenblum & Joyce Capshaw	Rick Horton & Wish Child Carter

12th Annual St. Louis Rams Celebrity Server Dinner Scores Big!

The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Metro St. Louis is celebrating a major victory, following Monday evening’s Celebrity Server fundraiser at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar in Frontenac. Thirteen St. Louis Rams players and the Rams cheerleaders donated their time and energy to help raise more than $120,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Rams quarterback Marc Bulger hosted the event for the second straight year. Bulger was joined by teammates Steven Jackson, Gus Ferotte, Drew Bennett, Will Witherspoon, Richie Incognito, La’Roi Glover, Dane Looker, Randy McMichael, Corey Chavous, Brett Romberg, Chris Massey and Chris Draft. The players and Rams cheerleaders competed to see who could collect the most tips during the evening. Linebacker Will Witherspoon came out on top, with the Rams cheerleaders a very close second. More than 200 diners attended the event, including Jim Hanifan, a former offensive line coach with the Rams and former head coach with the St. Louis Cardinals football team.

Make-A-Wish Foundation chapter President and CEO Sandra Lehrer praised everyone who helped make the evening an overwhelming success. “The continued support of the entire Rams organization for twelve years demonstrates the strength of their commitment to the children of our community. We also can’t say enough about the staff and management of Fleming’s, who worked tirelessly to make the dining experience a very special part of the evening.”

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.

Flower Power Helps Fund Local Wishes

Pictured left to right: Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Missouri President/CEO Sandra Lehrer, students Stacy Zamski, Marissa Fabbri, Alessia Perla, Haylo Piercley, and teacher Vicki Kemp

Students at Crestview Middle School have made a $985 donation to Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Missouri, following their annual Carnation sale. Crestview is part of the Rockwood School District.

Nearly 3,500 carnations were sold at school by the 8th grade Academic Stretch program. The flowers were later delivered to Crestview students, along with special cards, on Valentine’s Day.

The proceeds of the annual event are split between a nonprofit group that helps people, and a nonprofit group that helps animals. This year, the students voted to give the money to Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Missouri and Stray Rescue.

Special Thanks to Millennium Rail Inc. in Wood River, IL who recently presented Make-A-Wish with proceeds from their annual golf outing. We recognize all those who contributed their time and talents to support this event and make it a huge success!

                                     
Cottleville Knights of Columbus held a Charity Trivia Night to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri.  Their time and efforts helped raise enough to grant two wishes for local children with life threatening medical conditions! Thank you Cottleville K of C Council 7198!