2022 Make-A-Wish Charitable Raffle & Dinner Drawing
Thank you for supporting the 2022 Make-A-Wish Charitable Raffle & Dinner.
With your donations, you helped us raise more than $159,000, enough to grant 15 wishes to local kids.
Winners were announced at the live drawing and dinner at Progressive Field in Cleveland, on Tues., Aug. 23.
Support Our Sponsors
W.A. Smith Financial Group thanks these great partners for making it possible for us to host our 2022 Charitable Raffle & Dinner to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.
GOLD SPONSORSHIP
SAPPHIRE SPONSORSHIP
EMERALD SPONSORSHIP
RUBY SPONSORSHIP
SILVER SPONSORSHIP
PRIZE SPONSORSHIP
Chez Francois Restaurant
EquiTrust
Chez Francois Restaurant
Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland Browns
Play: CLE
DANTE Restaurant
Western Reserve
Historical Society
Mitchell's Ice Cream
Akron Rubber Ducks
Bunker Hill Golf Course
Cleveland Charge
Music Box Supper Club
Akron Art Museum
Ironwood Golf Course
GV Art + Design
Cleveland Monsters
Toledo Rockets
Pine Brook Golf Links
Lake County Captains
Cleveland Whiskey
Greater Cleveland Aquarium
Why We Give
In our early days, W.A. Smith Financial Group gave to dozens of local organizations. While we believed in the good all of those charities were doing, we realized that, because we gave to so many, our donations weren’t really moving the needle. That changed in 2016. Our team decided to pick one organization to focus on, so our donations would have a significant impact on people in need.
Make-A-Wish and W.A. Smith Financial Group
Since 2017, we’ve focused our fundraising on helping the Make-A-Wish organization grant wishes for kids diagnosed with critical illnesses.
Through events like our charity golf outing and Lake Erie Crushers game, our clients help us raise money that helps grant wishes for kids in our area. In addition to financial donations, W.A. Smith gives time off to staff so they can volunteer with Make-A-Wish.
Gabriel’s Wish
Four-year-old Gabriel is fighting cystic fibrosis, a progressive disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits his ability to breathe. Despite the fight he endures each day, Gabriel continues to be happy, kind and imaginative. To further fuel his imagination, Gabriel wished to visit Walt Disney World to see the new Star Wars park.
Thomas’ Wish
Outgoing and funny, 11 year-old Thomas is fighting Spinal Muscular Dystrophy, a disease that damages the nerve cells and causes muscles to slowly weaken and waste away. Thomas’ wish was to meet the cast of his favorite TV show, giving him and his family the opportunity to take a break from his medical routines and go on a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Avery’s Wish
Despite dealing with a metabolic condition called glycogen storage disease, Avery continues to be a happy, active 4-year-old. Her heartfelt wish is to become the mermaid princess Ariel — including the fins! Avery’s wish came true when she was granted a makeover at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Disney World.
Le’Marion’s Wish
Le’Marion is battling Langerhans cell histiocytosis, a rare disorder where the body makes too many dendritic cells for the immune system to handle. Even so, Le’Marion is an energetic 4-year-old who loves dinosaurs and superheroes. He wished to go on an Orlando adventure to Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World — a vacation away from the stress and worry of his usual routine.
Silas’ Wish
Five-year-old Silas is battling gastroparesis, a condition in which the stomach is not able to empty itself in a normal fashion. However, judging by his smile and positive attitude, you’d never know of his illness! Silas adamantly wished for something his entire family would enjoy with him, and he decided to go with his three little sisters to Disney World.
Kaleb’s Wish
Kaleb is 13 years old and battling Friedreich’s ataxia, an inherited disorder that causes progressive damage to the nervous system. Kaleb and his older sister, Brooke, both have the same condition. Inspired by his love of swimming, Kaleb dreamed of going to an accessible beach with his family.
Willa’s Wish
Six-year-old Willa is fighting Hodgkin’s lymphoma, but that does not hold her back from living life to its fullest. She loves playing with her siblings and singing along to her favorite Disney movies. Most of all, she yearns to be just like Moana, swimming in the ocean and dancing at a luau with her family. Her wish was to swim with dolphins in Hawaii.
We’re incredibly grateful to our clients, sponsors, and partners for helping us make these wishes come true!
Events
Each year, we hold events to assist in raising money for our selected cause.
2021 Make-A-Wish Charitable Raffle & Dinner
The extraordinary support we received during the raffle and dinner drawing on Nov. 10, 2021 at the Emerald Event Center, pushed us way past our initial goal. With more than $85,000 raised, we are able to help grant 8 wishes to local children.
We couldn’t have done it without you. A big thank you to those who attended the dinner, purchased raffle tickets, made donations, and sponsored our campaign!
2020 Make-A-Wish Charitable Virtual Raffle
In lieu of the annual Charity Golf Outing, in 2020, we hosted a virtual raffle where tickets could be purchased online for a chance to win prizes.
All proceeds from donations and ticket sales went directly to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. We were able to grant 7 wishes for local children and provide an opportunity to momentarily step away from difficult medical routines and enjoy a once-in-lifetime adventure that only Make-A-Wish can provide.
Charity Golf Outing
In 2019, W.A. Smith Financial Group hosted its annual Charity Golf Outing in support of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Guests enjoyed a day of fun and competition at Legacy Golf Course at Sweetbriar Golf Club.
Lake Erie Crushers Game
The Lake Erie Crushers are a professional baseball team, part of the independent Frontier League. In past years, we invited clients to attend and provided tickets in exchange for a small donation.
