WORCESTER — Nearly 150 guests gathered at Tatnuck Country Club on Saturday, Sept. 20, for the inaugural Wish Night in The Woo, raising more than $184,000 to support Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The funds help grant the wishes of 15 children and kick off a year of programming in Central Massachusetts, where 80 children are currently qualified for and awaiting their wishes.
The event, organized by the newly formed Central Massachusetts Advisory Council, brought together local business leaders and community members to raise awareness and support for the charity’s mission. Presenting sponsors included Drew and Stephanie Stratton of Paxton and Bill Murphy of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation in Auburn.
A highlight of the evening came from Bryan Acuto of Princeton, who spoke about his son Max’s wish to meet his favorite gamer. “When Make-A-Wish told us Max’s wish would be granted in September of 2024, it gave us something we didn’t even realize we needed: hope on the calendar…and that’s the true gift of Make-A-Wish,” Acuto said. “These experiences are not just fun trips or meet-and-greets—they are lifelines. For children like Max, they offer a chance to step away from the hospital, from the needles and medications, and step into a world of possibility and joy. For families, they give us moments to breathe, to celebrate, and to see our child smile in a way that reminds us what we’re fighting for.”
Bill Murphy of Grafton was honored with the first-ever Wish Champion Award for his longtime support of wish kids in Central Massachusetts. Murphy, who chairs the Central Massachusetts Advisory Council and serves on the organization’s board, has contributed nearly $1 million to the charity over the past 20 years and completed multiple athletic challenges to raise funds, including crutching a marathon and running seven marathons on seven continents in one week. In a surprise, his employer, Fairway Independent Mortgage, pledged to sponsor a wish in his honor.
“Wish Night in The Woo was an inspiring celebration of the growing community of support for our wish kids here in Central Mass,” said Peg Wheble, Central and Western Massachusetts Regional Director for Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island. “With community being at the heart of every wish we grant, we look forward to continuing to engage new individuals, businesses, and organizations in making wishes come true for children and families who are in need of the transformative joy, hope, and strength that a wish provides in the midst of difficult medical journeys.”
The evening also included live and silent auctions and a Fund-A-Wish giving opportunity. Additional sponsors included Larson, Potter, Stratton & Cote Financial; the Worcester Railers Hockey Club Foundation; Worcester South High Football Alumni; Commonwealth Financial Network; Franklin Templeton; Castinetti Realty Group; Hannaford; Masis Staffing; Mirick; and Worcester State University.
Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island has granted the wishes of more than 10,500 children in the region since 1983. A child’s diagnosis does not need to be terminal to qualify for a wish. To learn more, refer a child, or get involved, visit www.massri.wish.org.
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