Occoquan, Va. –– On Thursday night, local businessman Terry Quinn was granting more than jewelry wishes as he continued 11-year tradition of holding a fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
This marks the second year the fundraiser has been has been held at Occoquan’s Bistro L’Hermitage restaurant.
Quinn’s annual Make-A-Wish Foundation fundraiser held this year at has netted over $250,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s local chapter run by Mary Martinez, who notes that the funds raised by the national organization stay in the area to benefit those who need them.
The organization is still totaling up how much money was raised during last night’s event.
“When a fundraiser is held in Northern Virginia, even though we’re a national organization, that money stays local and grants local wishes”, said Martinez.
The funds donated by Quinn’s include both the money raised at the fundraiser, as well as the change collected in a special fountain outside their newest store, Quinn’s 2 in Potomac Town Center in Woodbridge.
The Make a Wish Foundation is always looking for volunteers to help in granting wishes, which may include wishes to “to go, to be, to meet, or to have”, according to Tammy Heller, also with the local chapter.
Heller also added that the average cost of granting a child’s wish runs around $7,500, which means that funds raised at this event will go to fund between three to four wishes with profits estimated to be between $25,000 and $30,000.
In addition to hosting his event each year, Quinn also sits on the advisory council for the region’s Make a Wish Foundation, and is in the process of becoming a regional representative. That would mean Quinn is able to go to grant wishes to children with serious health risks. Make a Wish considers the wishes granted to children to be a type of hope therapy rather than a “final wish”.
Last year, the local chapter of Make a Wish granted 402 wishes. This year, 74 have been granted in Northern Virginia alone. “Going to [grant] a wish would be amazing. That’s what this is all about,” said Quinn.
Quinn says he hold’s the event each year in honor of his late daughter, Michaela Lee Quinn
