We made it to March. That means ... it's Gala time!

The Make-A-Wish Northeast New York will hold its Hope Begins With Us Gala at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 25, at the Hall of Springs in Saratoga Springs.

There will be fine dining and drink, dancing with music by Funk Evolution, live and silent auctions with premier auctioneer Tom Stebbins and, of course, powerful wish stories.

You may still purchase tickets for and donate to the gala at wishgalaneny.org. You can bid on silent auction items on the site starting next week even if you don't attend the Gala -- but we want to see you there!

During his wish reveal at the Workshop of Wishes, 5-year-old Make-A-Wish Northeast New York wish kid Joey said, "I was good at the hospital."

We bet you were. Joey, you have no worries when it comes to your wish: You and your family are heading to Walt Disney World® Resort. Congratulations!

And congratulations to volunteer wish granters Hannah Malloy and Alexis Weary on their first wish! (Sabra Venezia also served as a wish granter.)

Make-A-Wish Northeast New York wish kid Prince stopped by the office with his mom to meet with his wish granters. But his wish journey actually began with a referral.

Do you know of a child who may be eligible for a wish? Then visit wish.org/refer-a-child, or contact acting Manager of Medical Referral Outreach Raina von Zerneck at rvzerneck@neny.wish.org or 518-456-9474.

One of my favorite things about our annual Wish Gala is re-connecting with valued friends and supporters who play a vital role in our magical mission. These connections bind us together as a community dedicated to providing hope to our wish families.

This yet another value add of the Make-A-Wish mission: Connecting people – with wish wishes, with hope and, most importantly, most of all with each other. As I look forward to our Hope Begins With Us Gala on March 25 at the Hall of Springs in Saratoga Springs, I think about the vital funds we will raise for future wishes, and the lives of the wish kids and families we will touch.

I also reflect on the volunteers, donors, sponsors, Trustees and staff who will be in attendance, and how we are all connected to one another by our unshakable belief that wishes transform lives.

If not for Make-A-Wish, many of us would not have crossed paths. We are all richer for having each other, and Make-A-Wish, in our lives.

With immense gratitude,

Bill Trigg

CEO

Make-A-Wish Northeast New York