Walk For Wishes Raises $45,000

Inaugural fundraising walk at Pepperdine University in Malibu presented by Mattel®, Inc celebrates 25th anniversary of Greater Los Angeles chapter while helping to raise funds for children with life-threatening medical conditions.

LOS ANGELES (June 11, 2008) - Over 25 teams of four or more walkers mingled with individual walkers, wish families, and other guests at the Stotsenberg track at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif., on Saturday, June 7, for the first Walk for Wishes fundraising event held by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles.

Fundraising efforts combined with the sale of raffle tickets at the walk raised more than $45,000 towards fulfilling the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Participating teams had completed their fundraising work before the walk, with team "Makenna Gives Back" raising $5,400, the largest team total.

"We are thrilled at the success of the walk," said Jeffrey R. Germain, board chair emeritus of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles. "Given that it was our first time ‘out of the gate' with a walk fundraiser, everything came together really well and we are really enthusiastic about how much we can add to it next year."

Before starting the 2-mile walk that looped around the track before continuing up and around Dorm Road, the more than 200 guests in attendance at Walk for Wishes already had a view of the fun to come afterwards. Scattered around the parking lot next to the track sat a Hot Wheels® race track, a Guitar Hero® station, a bounce house, face painting and airbrush body art, a basketball toss game, and lots of food and drinks to enjoy when they finished. Presenting sponsor Mattel had also brought along Barbie® to cheer on the walkers and take photographs with the children.

"Mattel enjoyed participating in the first annual Walk for Wishes," said Deborah Dicochea, Associate Manager of the Mattel Children's Foundation. "This event was so much fun, we cannot wait to come out and support the event next year."

Children at the event also had special meet-and-greets and received autographs from Lauren Conrad of MTV's The Hills; Erin Sanders, who played Quinn on Zoey 101; and Christopher Murray who played Mr. Rivers on Zoey 101.

Speaking to the crowd after the walk about his daughter's wish experience at the Walt Disney World® Resort, "wish father" Randal Hand commented on the impact that the Make-A-Wish Foundation has on families, "Although the vacation, or the shopping trip or special event is necessary to the gift, it's really only the wrapping paper. The real gift from the Make-A-Wish Foundation is much, much deeper. It's an island of joy in a sea of sorrow. It's a record of good memories for a family to remember their loved one. It's a parent sharing smiles with their child who may not have had a smile in a long time. It's the realization that strangers are willing to give their time or money to help you through what no parent should have to watch their child endure. This is the true gift that the Make-A-Wish Foundation provides."

Walk for Wishes was presented by Mattel and also sponsored by E! Entertainment and Activision.

About the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Born in 1980, when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is now the largest wish-granting charity in the world, with 67 chapters in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish every 40 minutes and has granted more than 164,000 wishes in the U.S. since inception.

Established in 1983, the Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation is celebrating 25 years of fulfilling wishes for over 6,300 children throughout Los Angeles County. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles including how you can help refer a child for a wish; participate in Adopt-A-Wish; or donate in-kind gifts of goods or services, airline frequent flyer miles, or vehicles, please call (800) 322-WISH or visit www.wishla.org.

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