Make A Wish w/ Jordan, Daley, Corgan, Urlacher, Blackhawks, Rockit Ranch & more!

The Make A Wish Foundation of Illinois is celebrating their 25th Anniversary of their Gala the “Wish Ball” this Saturday May 21st by honoring 25 people and organizations that they have deemed “Leaders In Joy!”  I am beyond honored to say that I am among this humbled group along others like Michael Jordan, Mayor Daley & Maggie Daley, Larry Wert, Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins, Brian Urlacher, the Chicago Blackhawks and more. Since 1985 Make A Wish has been granting special wishes to children facing life threatening illnesses giving each child the power to decide the nature of their wish, providing a sense of renewed faith, courage and self-confidence. These are not in any way “last wishes” but experiences that remind the wish kids that although everything in their world seems to be falling apart, there is still good and magic out there, and I love that message.

As much as there are “Leaders In Joy” being honored, to me this event will be way more about celebrating the work that the Make A Wish team has done by granting nearly 10,000 wishes across the state! One of those wishes was for an awesome little girl, Sydney Martin, (in picture above) that I had the pleasure of meeting last March when helping her present her necklace jewelry line in a run-way show. I blogged about Sydney right after not only because I was extremely moved by her story, but also I was excited about her talents & future.  She was diagnosed in 2007 with an extremely rare blood disease called Langerhan’s Cell Histicytosis (LCH), and started her own necklace line she has used to raise over $120,000 for LCH research.  I’m just inspired by that, and feel like I got just as much out of helping, as she may have received by being granted a wish.

Because of the wonderful feelings and giving all the way around, I’m really looking forward to honoring her, the many many other kids like her, and all those that have been an important part of building the Illinois chapter in to the largest and most well-known wish-granting organization in the region.. to be included in that is something I will always cherish.

For more information about the Make A Wish Foundation and this year’s Wish Ball – please take the time to visit www.wishes.org.

Tags: bears, billy corgan, billy dec, blackhawks, brian urlacher, bulls, charity, chicago, chicago bears, chicago blackhawks, chicago bulls, chicago charity events, langerhan's cell histicytosis, larry wert, lch, maggie daley, major daley and maggie daley, make a wish, make a wish foundation, make a wish foundation of illinois, make a wish iliinois chapter, mayor daley, michael jordan, rockit ranch productions, smashing pumpkins, syd rocks, sydney martin, the bulls, wish ball, wish ball 2011

Chicago's KAZY Rocks

Tags: kazy, myspace, nine inch nails, radiohead, rage against the machine, smashing pumpkins, twitter

Chicago Music Awards this Weekend!

In the 29th year since it’s inception, the Chicago Music Awards has featured and honored some of the most acclaimed artist in the history music, including : Kanye West, Smashing Pumpkins, Lou Rawls, Chaka Khan, Robert Townsend, R Kelly, Jennifer Hudson, Curtis Mayfield, Buddy Guy, The Mighty Dells, Jerry Butler, Oscar Brown Jr., Albertina Walker, Ramsey Lewis, Dick Buckley, Sir George Solti, The Chi-Lites, Pop Staples, Patty Jo Timmons and Von Freeman – to name a few.

The CMA’s were founded by Ephraim Martin of Martin’s International Culture (who also produces the International Reggae & World Music Awards). He originally set out in the early ‘90’s as a not-for-profit group trying to promote African/Caribbean music, arts and culture. Not before long, he realized that there was already a wealth of all kinds of great culture and music right in his own town of sweet home chicago, thus the CMA’s we born.

The Chicago Music Awards take to the stage again this Sunday the 24^th at the Alhambra Palace where you can see Chicago’s own Wilco and Jeremih perform live. Check out info and get your tix at www.martinsinterculture.com

Tags: albertina walker, buddy guy, chaka khan, chicago music awards, curtis mayfield, dick buckley, jennifer hudson, jerry butler, kanye west, lou rawls, oscar brown jr, patty jo timmons, pop staples, r kelly, ramsey lewis, robert townsend, sir george solti, smashing pumpkins, the chi-lites, the mighty dells, von freeman