Published: September 17, 2010
Jonas Brothers, New York Yankees, Corbin Bleu, Dick Vitale and Monster Jam Legend Dennis Anderson Honored by Make-A-Wish Foundation with Chris Greicius Celebrity Award
PHOENIX - (BUSINESS WIRE) - The Make-A-Wish
Foundation of America (www.wish.org)
today announced recipients of its 21st annual Chris Greicius Celebrity
Awards. The Foundation selected the honorees in recognition of their
exceptional dedication to helping grant the wishes of children with
life-threatening medical conditions. The recipients are:
Jonas Brothers - Kevin, Joe and Nick have brought smiles to the
faces of more than 130 young fans whose wishes they have granted around
the world in just three years. The musical trio has been host to wish
kids at concerts, award-show rehearsals, show sets and other exclusive
locations. Their enthusiastic meetings with wish kids backstage, special
tours and VIP seats at concerts have provided unforgettable experiences
for kids from three continents.
New York Yankees - No matter what team they support, baseball
fans have to tip their caps to the Yankees for the joy they bring to
kids who wish to meet them. The Major League Baseball club entertains
about 30 wish kids each year, 35 in 2010, enabling them to meet players
in the dugout before games, tour iconic Monument Park, go behind the
scenes at Yankee Stadium, and watch their favorite players in action on
the field from VIP seats. Yankees manager Joe Girardi also thrilled the
six wish kids who attended the 2010 MLB All-Star Game in Anaheim with a
private meet-and-greet after the pregame press conference.
Corbin Bleu - Bleu has granted 14 wishes to meet him and also
participated in dozens more wishes through his role in the "High School
Musical" movies. Last year, he went to extraordinary lengths to grant
the wish of a 5-year-old Michigan boy, Carson. When Carson became too
sick to go to California for his wish to meet Bleu, the actor traveled
to Michigan and surprised him at home, spending several hours with the
young cancer patient.
Dennis Anderson - Driver of the larger-than-life Grave Digger
monster truck, Anderson has shown an equal-sized devotion to making
children's wishes come true. He frequently spends an entire afternoon
with kids who wish to meet him and his truck, having lunch, giving
garage tours and treating them to souvenirs from the Digger's Dungeon
store. Many wish families and volunteers have expressed their
appreciation for Anderson's outsized generosity toward wish kids.
Dick Vitale - Vitale, ESPN's Hall of Fame college basketball
analyst, is receiving this year's Industry Icon Award for his
long-standing support of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Vitale has enhanced
kids' wishes at the Final Four and other sporting events, sharing his
experiences as a college and NBA coach and as college basketball's most
popular broadcaster for the past 30 years.
"The recipients of this year's Chris Greicius Celebrity Award have been
unbelievably generous with their time in creating meaningful experiences
for our wish kids," said David Williams, Make-A-Wish Foundation of
America president and chief executive officer. "The energy they devote
to granting each wish is remarkable and creates unforgettable memories
for every wish kid. This award expresses our appreciation to them on
behalf of these kids, who benefit so much from the hope, strength and
joy a wish experience provides."
Started in 1990, the Chris Greicius Celebrity Award is named in honor of
the 7-year-old boy whose wish to be a police officer inspired a group of
caring volunteers to fulfill his dream in 1980 and later create the
Make-A-Wish Foundation.
About the Make-A-Wish Foundation: Celebrating its 30th
anniversary in 2010, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes
of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human
experience with hope, strength and joy. With the help of generous donors
and nearly 25,000 volunteers,
the Make-A-Wish Foundation is one of the world's leading children's
charities and grants a wish every 40 minutes in the United States. For
more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit wish.org
and discover how you can share the power of a wish.

Make-A-Wish Foundation of America
Brent Goodrich, 602-792-3185
bgoodrich@wish.org
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