Make A Wish® Hudson Valley Launches 30th Anniversary with Benefit Concert, April 8

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - March 4, 2016 - PRLog -- Make-A-Wish Hudson® Valley will present a benefit concert of Broadway show music at 8 PM, Friday, April 8 at the historic Tarrytown Music Hall. It is one of first of four signature events that the non-profit will sponsor as part of its 30th^h anniversary fundraising campaign to help grant wishes for more than 150 local children with life-threatening medical conditions.

“Frank and Friends” will be headlined by legendary Broadway composer and songwriter Frank Wildhorn. Known for both his musicals and popular songs including the number one international hit song, “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”—made famous by Whitney Houston – and the song “Gold”, heard at the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1999 Wildhorn became the first composer to have three Broadway musicals running on Broadway simultaneously: Jekyll and Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel and The Civil War.

Scheduled to appear with Wildhorn at the concert will be Rob Evan (Jekyll and Hyde, Les Miserables, Disney’s Tarzan); Jeremy Jordan (Newsies, Rock of Ages, Bonnie and Clyde) and Laura Osnes (Grease, Cinderella, Bonnie and Clyde).

Ticket prices (with all proceeds to benefit the Make-A-Wish® Hudson Valley) range from $35 to $175 and can be ordered by visiting www.tarrytownmusichall.org or by calling 877-840-0457.

Thomas J. Conklin, President and CEO of the chapter. noted that since the chapter was established in 1986, it has helped wishes come true for more than 2,400 children in the Hudson Valley counties ofDelaware, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.  “But, over time, the costs of travel, accommodations, meals and other trip expenses have significantly increased, averaging now between $7,500 and $10,000 for each wish child,” Conklin explained, adding: “That makes our 30^th anniversary fundraising efforts and the generosity of our supporters more critical to the success of reaching our goal of granting a wish to every eligible child in the Hudson Valley.”

The other 30^th anniversary signature events will be the annual Wish Ball on Friday, May 13^th, to be held at another historic landmark, Abigail Kirsch at Tappan Hill Mansion, located on the former estate of Mark Twain.  As in the past, Darlene Rodriguez of NBC’s Today in New York and Mike Bennett of WHUD’s Mike & Kacey in the Morning, are scheduled to serve as celebrity co-hosts for the evening’s festivities. Bill Georges, Global Chief Operating Officer of Active International, has been named as this year’s Wish Ball Honoree.

On Tuesday, August 30^th, golf enthusiasts including some prominent individuals will tee off on behalf of Make-A-Wish® HudsonValley from the historic Sleepy Hollow Country Club’s golf course in Scarborough-on-Hudson in Briarcliff Manor.

Celebrating 30 years of wishes will dramatically conclude on Sunday, October 30^th when an army of hundreds of supporters, including Wish kids and their families from throughout the Hudson Valley, converge at FDR State Park in Yorktown Heights to participate in the 11^th Annual Walk/Run for Wishes. “

Throughout the year, the chapter will offer a number of opportunities to individuals, companies and organizations to support the four signature events including becoming a sponsor, making a donation and forming a team. As details are finalized, they will be communicated on the website, www.hudson.wish.org/30, on social media platforms, in e-blast messages and the media.

About Make-A-Wish ^® Hudson Valley

Make-A-Wish® grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Since its inception in 1986, the chapter has granted wishes to over 2,400 children in the communities it serves. The wish experience is a combined community effort involving volunteers, staff, donors and medical professionals to make each wish come true. The Chapter is a proud participant of the Better Business Bureau Charity Seal Program, which indicates that the organization has met the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability. The Chapter serves Delaware, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties. For more information about the Hudson Valley Chapter visit www.hudson.wish.org.