‘Wish Ball’ Demonstrates the Art of Wishes Raising $3.3M and Granting a Record 462 Wishes to Arizona Kids
On March 8, 2025, the JW Marriott Camelback Inn transformed into a vibrant realm of possibility for Make-A-Wish Arizona Art of Wishes themed ‘Wish Ball’ to raise funds to create life-changing opportunities for critically ill children.
Event Chairs: Chrissy Butz, Keli Nichols, Teri Pierce & Dena Zell
Honorees: Bob & Renee Parsons – Lifetime Impact Award
Presenting Sponsors: Phusion Projects & Valley Toyota Dealers
Dollars Raised: $3.3 million
Emcees: Nick Ciletti of ABC15 Arizona | Veronica Quintero of Arizona Office of Tourism | Wish Kid Mikaela Emery
Auctioneer: Trey Morris
Entertainment: Saxophonist & DJ Natty Rico
Notable Moments: A champagne toast by founders Linda Pauling & Allan Schmidt kicked off the festivities. Celebrating the 45th anniversary of Make-A-Wish Arizona, the event featured an outdoor reception, silent auction, dinner, awards, live auction and paddle raise. Bob and Renee Parsons, who have supported Make-A-Wish for over a decade, were honored with the Lifetime Impact Award and they announced a $1 million match from the stage for the event’s Fund-a-Wish. The giving spirit of Make-A-Wish was captured in a heartfelt video featuring past recipients of the wishes of their dreams, including the “2025 Wish Kid Line-Up” highlighted in the event program. To lead off the live auction, performance painter Jared Emerson demonstrated his talent with a live portrait of Devin Booker. The live auction featured eight luxury experiences and items, as well as the announcement of a legacy gift of $150,000 by Roger Goins. A dazzling display of pyrotechnics kicked off the live auction and ensured a successful evening of inspiration and philanthropy in support of life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. To say that the event was pure magic would be an understatement!
Photos courtesy of Make-A-Wish Arizona
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