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Make-A-Wish fetes previous ‘wish’ recipients
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Posted on Mar 05 2019
Live performances rocked the Hyatt Regency Saipan ballroom during the Make-a-Wish Guam and NMI Chapter fundraising event last Friday evening. (Erwin Encinares)
The Make-A-Wish Foundation-Guam and the CNMI Chapter honored past “wish” families who already have had their wishes granted at the annual “Black Ties & Zories” Wish Night last Friday, March 1, at the Hyatt Regency Saipan’s ballroom.
Foundation board member Kanae Quinn noted that about 185 tickets costing $100 each were sold for the event, which was also intended as a fundraiser. That makes at least $18,500 in ticket sales alone for the foundation, not including the silent auction and other monetary and in-kind donations.
The fundraising event, according to Quinn, is normally a November event. However, since Super Typhoon Yutu devastated Saipan and Tinian last October, the foundation moved the event to last Friday evening.
As stated in the fundraiser’s name, the dress code was a mix of both formal clothes and zories. That means guests attended the event dressed in their best clothes while wearing decorated flip-flops.
Chloe Bernal, front, won the best zories award during the fundraiser. (Erwin Encinares)
Last Friday, the Make-A-Wish Foundation-Guam and the CNMI Chapter honored 2009 Wish recipient Juan Blanco, whose wish was to meet former U.S. president Barrack Obama.
“The experience was pretty good—Obama was a kind and humble man. Overall, the White House was a beautiful, big house. It was really nice,” he said of the experience.
Another beneficiary, Chloe Bernal, 2016 Wish recipient, was also honored at the fundraising event. She also happened to win the best zories award.
In explaining the functions of the foundation, Quinn said, “We fulfill the wishes of children with critical illnesses. …The wishes can be going somewhere, getting a shopping spree, having something, etc.”
She said that the foundation just granted such a wish last Sunday but the family of the wish recipient chose to keep the event confidential.
“When families have wishes that are granted, they can either be publicized or kept confidential,” she said.
“For the Guam and CNMI as a chapter, we generally do wishes once or twice a month,” she added.
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- Jay Santos of Make-A-Wish Guam and CNMI Chapter announces the winners of the silent auction. (Erwin Encinares)
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- Make-A-Wish Guam and CNMI Chapter executive director Eric Tydingco shares a few words. (Erwin Encinares)
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- Another raffle prize winner retrieves a prize. (Erwin Encinares)
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- About 185 tickets were sold for the fundraiser. (Erwin Encinares)
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- Rep. Ivan A. Blanco (R-Saipan) and McDonald’s Saipan owner and operator Marcia Ayuyu share a table at the fundraiser. (Erwin Encinares)
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- Rep. Tina Sablan (ind-Saipan) retrieves her raffle prize. (Erwin Encinares)
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- Wish recipient Chloe Bernal’s mother Cindy Bernal says a few words. (Erwin Encinares)
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- Wish recipient Juan Sablan goes onstage with Make-a-Wish Guam and CNMI executive director Eric Tydingco. (Erwin Encinares)
