Atlanta was host to the recently held annual Celebration of Wishes for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The black-tie gala celebrated the many wishes granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Georgia and Alabama in 2006. Held at The Intercontinental Hotel, approximately 400 attendees filled the ballroom to experience a magical evening.

The second annual Celebration of Wishes raised more than $300,000 through corporate sponsorships, live and silent auctions and donations. More than 100 live and silent auction packages were donated for the gala.

The gala committee was made up of auction, decorating, hosting, sponsorship and marketing committee members. Chaired by Senior Vice President of Butler Telecom George Georgiou and Honorary Chairpersons Atlanta Braves pitcher Tim Hudson and his wife Kim of Peachtree City, Ga., the gala committee helped make the evening a star-studded event.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. The Foundation grants four types of wishes: “I wish to go…,” “I wish to be…,” “I wish to meet...” or “I wish to have….” Attendees of the Atlanta gala experienced a live wish in the making. Seven-year old Jordan Holmes from Austell, Ga. wished to be a dancer. Therefore, Make-A-Wish helped fulfill that dream by aligning her with the Price Performing Arts Center for regular dance lessons, and to also prepare her for the big gala performance. Holmes suffers from sickle-cell anemia, a genetic blood disorder that deprives the organs of oxygen and causes her body a great deal of pain.

The gala also featured personalized video messages including a welcome message from American Idol host and Atlanta-native Ryan Seacrest, a “shout-out” from Atlanta-native Ludacris to Holmes and a “shout-out” from renowned country music legends Brooks & Dunn.

"The Celebration of Wishes was a phenomenal success. Not only did we grant a spectacular wish for Jordan, but we raised money for further wish granting in Georgia and Alabama,” said P.J. White, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish Foundation of Georgia and Alabama. “As we celebrate the amazing stories of our wish children, we thank our sponsors and individuals who supported this gala and wish granting with their gifts of money, time and effort."

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