LiveStream of our 2022 Program
Please visit our Facebook Page (@makeawishct) to view our LiveStream program.
We are sorry for the issues!
This Years Event
We're thrilled that this coming April we will be back in-person* for the first time in three years to celebrate our chapter's 35th anniversary and that we have new and exciting plans in place to ensure we can continue granting wishes to every eligible child - now and in the foreseeable future. Our annual event will feature powerful storytelling, surprise appearances, a redesigned program and more. It's a night you don't want to miss!
Prefer to join in on the fun from the comfort of your homes? We are offering virtual tickets to make this a HYBRID experience with guests both in-person and at home - visit our Tickets page for details on our various ways to participate this year!
Wishes give kids so much more than a temporary escape. They give them a wellspring of strength to keep fighting for better days. Now, more than ever, they need your support!
- WHEN -
Saturday, April 30, 2022
6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
- WHERE -
Uncas Ballroom
Sky Convention Center at Mohegan Sun
- ATTIRE -
Black Tie Optional
- WISH SPIRIT AWARD HONOREE -
Mohegan Tribe and the entire Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment Team
- EVENT HIGHLIGHTS -
Inspiring Program - Wish Stories
Signature Cocktails by Tito's Handmade Vodka
Surprise Entertainment - Dinner - Auction Excitement
JOIN US. Don't wait for hope. Create it.
*All local and state guidance as it relates to COVID will be followed to ensure the health and safety of all attendees. Specific protocols will be shared with ticketholders closer to the event.
Meet the star-studded hosts of our Evening of Wishes Gala!
Titus O'Neil
WWE Global Ambassador, WWE
Evening of Wishes Emcee
A decade-long veteran of WWE, Titus is well known both inside and outside of WWE for his humanitarian work. He has helped more than 250 student athletes get into college and has led volunteers in reading books to children in after-school programs. Titus used all of these experiences to inspire his book There's No Such Thing as a Bad Kid: How I Went from Stereotype to Prototype, and his accomplishments don't end with the pen. A former University of Florida football standout, Titus has won his share of WWE Championship titles, which includes becoming the first-ever 24/7 Champion. The fact is - in or out of the ring - you can always count on Titus O'Neil to put a smile on people's faces.
Recognizing his ability to go above and beyond both inside and outside the WWE community, O'Neil was named the recipient of the 2020 Warrior Award. Named after WWE Hall of Famer The Ultimate Warrior, The Warrior Award is presented to an individual who has exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance and who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of The Ultimate Warrior.
Due to his outstanding work in his local community of Tampa and as a WWE Superstar Community Ambassador, O'Neil was honored as the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce's 2020 Citizen of the Year. Additionally, in 2021, Hillsborough County School board unanimously voted to rename Sligh Middle Magnet School to Thaddeus M. Bullard Academy.
In 2018, he was included in the 2018 EBONY Power 100 List. Compiled by the editors of EBONY Magazine, each honoree is considered to be a leader and game changer in his or her respected field. Additional awards and recognitions include: Goodwill Gator Community Service Award; University of Florida Hall of Fame Inductee; Tampa Bay Sports Commission's Sports Community Hero Recipient; MEGA Dad of the Year Recipient; Fathers Incorporated Spirit Award; Omega Lamplighters Dedication; and the Wheelchairs For Kids Commitment Award.
Deb Placey
Host of the NHL's Executive Suite Podcast
Evening of Wishes Auctioneer
Born in St. Louis, MO, Deb started her sports broadcasting career as a Production Associate for ESPN's Sports Center in 1988. After anchoring sports in four local TV markets, she returned to ESPN as an on air announcer for two years, before ultimately moving to MSG Network in NYC. Over the course of 23 years she hosted game broadcasts for the NY Yankees, NY Mets, NY Knicks and the NHL's Rangers, Islanders, & Devils, among others. Deb currently hosts a podcast for the NHL called "Executive Suite."
Thank you to our 2022 Sponsors!
2019 Event Photos
Check out some photo highlights from the last time we had the Gala in person
to see what this amazing event is all about!
View more of our 2019 Event Photos on our Facebook page here!
About Make-A-Wish
Make-A-Wish believes that a wish experience can be a game-changer for a child with a life-threatening medical condition. This one belief guides us in everything we do. It inspires us to grant wishes that change the lives of the kids we serve. It compels us to be creative in exceeding the expectations of every wish kid. It drives us to make our donated resources go as far as possible. Most of all, it's the founding principle of our vision to grant the wish of every eligible child.
Wishes are more than just a nice thing. And they are far more than gifts, or singular events in time. Wishes impact everyone involved - wish kids, volunteers, donors, sponsors, medical professionals and communities. The impact varies. For wish kids, just the act of making their wish come true can give them the courage to comply with their medical treatments. Parents might finally feel like they can be optimistic. And still others might realize all they have to offer the world through volunteer work or philanthropy.
Whatever the odds, whatever the obstacles ... wishes find a way to make the world better. When you donate, you're giving children renewed strength to fight their illnesses, bringing families closer together and uniting entire communities. You can change lives.
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