SPHL Mississippi RiverKings

'Make A Wish' Come True With The RiverKings

March 4, 2003 - SPHL (SPHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


SOUTHAVEN, Miss.— Make-A-Wish Foundation® of the Mid-South, Inc. and the Memphis RiverKings are conjuring up a little magic to help make wishes come true on Friday night when the Foundation plans to grant the wish of a local Mid-South child during a break in the game.

Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-South, Inc. grants wishes for children who have life-threatening illnesses to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. The Foundation is raising money by selling tickets to the Friday, March 7 game against the Oklahoma City Blazers. Patrons may purchase these tickets by calling the organization's office at 901-680-9474.

The RiverKings will sell special commemorative pucks on Thursday and Friday night for just $5 with all of the profits from the sale going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of the Mid-South, Inc. to help grant a wish courtesy of the RiverKings. In addition, wrestling legend Jerry "The King" Lawler will make a special appearance to be on hand Friday for various Make-A-Wish® festivities.

The organization will have a booth on the DeSoto Civic Center concourse during the game and will provide a national anthem singer from the Kids For Wish Kids school program. Kids For Wish Kids gives students in local schools the opportunity to sponsor wishes, with the average cost of a wish being $5,000. The children form the committees and manage their program, with teachers and parents serving as advisors. The program is designed to foster the values of community service by providing kids with hands-on experience in helping to grant wishes through their local chapter. It also provides a mechanism for building school spirit and creating additional partnerships between children and teachers outside of the classroom.

"We want to give children something to look forward to other than doctors, nurses and hospital visits," said Allison Catron, Development Manager for the Mid-South chapter of the foundation. "We don't claim to perform miracles, but we've seen children smile who haven't smiled in a year in anticipation of that wish. We've seen miracles happen as a result of the spirit of hope born in children, all because of the gift of someone who has never met that child. Wishes are very powerful."

The foundation categories wishes in four ways: the wish to meet, the wish to go, the wish to be, and the wish to see something. Catron said the wish is all about reaching the heart and soul of the particular child, allowing them to think and dream the seemingly impossible.

"We've had several wish children locally who were so affected by the wish that was granted to them that they have started raising money to grant another child's wish while continuing to battle their own illness," Catron said. "That's what a wish does. It grows and snowballs. It inspires people. It's unbelievable."

The Mid-South chapter of Make-A-Wish was founded in 1986 and covers the territories of North Mississippi, West Tennessee, and Arkansas. For more information on getting involved with Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-South, Inc. or on forming a Kids For Wish Kids group, call 901-680-WISH or visit the Web at www.midsouthwish.org.

For more information on the March 7 game against the Oklahoma City Blazers at the DeSoto Civic Center, located just 15 minutes south of downtown Memphis, call (662)-342-1755 or go online to www.RiverKings.com and use the Ticketmaster link. Face-off March 7 is set for 7:05 p.m.

· Who: The RiverKings and Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-South

· What: raising funds and awareness for the foundation, to help them fulfill their goal of granting wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses, "to help enrich the human spirit with hope, strength and joy."

· When: at the March 7 RiverKings game against the Oklahoma City Blazers

· Where: DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven

· How to get more information or tickets: 662-342-1755

UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS

This Thursday when the ‘Kings host the Laredo Bucks enjoy $1 hot dogs and cokes at the concession stands.

ON THE AIR

Catch the RiverKings on the air when they take on the Laredo Bucks this Thursday on RiverKings Radio Easy 680 AM – WJCE. Pre-game starts at 6:45 PM, face-off at 7:05 PM. For the latest stats, scores and more go online to www.RiverKings.com.



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