Celebrating 40 Years of Granting Wishes

2021 marks the 40th year that Make-A-Wish® Arizona has been granting wishes to every eligible child across the state. Knowing that stars light the eyes of each of these children who are facing a critical illness makes our continued support as a 2021 Wish Ball sponsor extra special. 

Through donations like ours and other community members like yourself, the organization will be able to fulfill hundreds of wishes this year.

2021 Make-A-Wish Ball Details

Per CDC guidelines, in-person and virtual attendance options are available to those who would like to take part in this transformational evening of hope and goodwill.  

Date: Saturday, March 20, 2021

In-person attendance: The location of the 2021 Wish Ball is at JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa (5402 East Lincoln Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85253). Masks must always be worn except when eating/drinking at designated seats. Six-feet social distancing will also be required. Tables of 10 will be divided into two tables of either six guests/four guests or five guests/five guests. If you prefer to attend in-person and have a table of 10, you may choose to invite only six guests and receive one complimentary hotel room for the night of the event with brunch for two the next day. This option is only available if your six guests are attending in person.

Virtual attendance: Wish Ball 2021 will be live streamed from the ballroom for optimum viewer participation. Virtual table guests will receive a ‘Wish Ball in a Box’ specialty gift box with food/wine to join in the fun with in-person attendees.

Please contact Anne Carman with Make-A-Wish Arizona to learn more specifics about the 2021 Wish Ball and how to get involved by calling 602-343-9428, or via email at [email protected].

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Photos from the 2021 Make-A-Wish Ball:

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COVID-19 has brought many challenges to how we go about our daily lives. One group that we don’t want to slip through the cracks and get lost in the shuffle are disadvantaged youth. That is why we are pleased to have the opportunity to directly help Phoenix kids by sponsoring the Phoenix Fraternal Order of Police (F.O.P) – Lodge #2’s 2021 Cops and Kids Back to School event. 

This charitable event will make it possible for kids struggling with educational disparities to get essential tools to help reduce distractions, thus have a more productive school day in whatever learning environment they find themselves—whether it be a hybrid in-person or virtual distance learning experience.  

How Are Children Selected to Participate?

A committee of local law enforcement officers will carefully select and screen children and families that they believe are among the most in need.  

Then, during the Cops and Kids Back to School event, students will be paired with a Phoenix law enforcement officer or public safety employee to enjoy a special shopping day to purchase essential school items. Our $1,000 donation will be split between approximately five students.  

For more specific information about the 2021 Cops and Kids Back to School event, please contact the Phoenix F.O.P – Lodge #2 by phone at (602) 491-9195, or online at phxfop2.com.

How Joining Resources Can Make a Difference

The Phoenix F.O.P. – Lodge #2 believes that through positive outreach and community relationships, we can all make a difference in the lives of children and families in need within our city and surrounding area neighborhoods. 

Our Lerner and Rowe Gives Back foundation shares this belief and knows that we can do more and reach further by joining our resources. That is why we invite you to join us in giving back by supporting the Cops and Kids program today.

On February 13, our Las Vegas team will spread some light and love by sponsoring a pre-Valentine’s Day Hearts United Community Distribution from 9:00 a.m. to noon at Valley High School (2839 Burnham Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89169) in the west parking lot.

During this contactless drive-through event, members of the community are invited to stop by to pick up FREE Valentine’s Day pizza puff treats and a gift bag to include personal hygiene items, socks, water bottles, a tote bag, sunscreen, and hand sanitizer. Car booster seats will also be donated and installed by UMC. Items will be handed out on a first-come-first-served basis, while supplies last. 

To top it off, KKLZ 96.3 will also be on-hand to provide entertainment.

Brightening the Lives of Our Neighbors

This pre-Valentine’s Day event is possible thanks to pooled resources provided by Lerner and Rowe, several local charities, the University Medical Center, and the Clark County School District Police.  

To learn more about Lerner and Rowe’s involvement with the Hearts United Community Distribution, please contact Guy Williams  at (702) 858-9941, or email him directly at [email protected].

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Photos from Hearts United Community Distribution pre-Valentine’s Day event:

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Be Part of the Signature Fundraiser Golf Event of 2021

Our 8th Annual Charity Golf Classic is scheduled to take place on April 30, which means that you still have two months to commit to joining other community organizations, businesses, and individuals as an event sponsor or a registered VIP foursome. If you need a reason to take part, know that ALL proceeds raised from sponsorships, golfer registrations, and other donations will be given back to local charitable groups and organizations throughout Arizona. 100%!

In fact, your participation could help us reach this year’s goal to raise over $462k to benefit those in need.

Reaching this lofty goal is possible with your help; year after year, our community partners and individual supporters have awed us with their generosity by given back even more than before:

• 2020 = $461,334
• 2019 = $420K
• 2018 = just over $285k
• 2017= just over $250k
• 2016 = just over $200k

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Enjoy a Fun and Safe Day Outdoors on a Golf Course

Our devoted team, with the support of golf course staff, are taking every precaution to help ensure all participants fully enjoy this COVID-19 safe event. The beautiful views of the McCormick Ranch Golf Club will also make for a beautiful late morning tee off. In addition to an afternoon of golf and giving, Lerner and Rowe Gives Back’s 8th Annual Charity Golf Classic will feature a raffle drawing, tons of swag items for each golfer, libations, and lunch. 

Questions? Please contact Cindy Ernst at (602) 952-3115, or via email at [email protected] to learn more and how you can join in the fun, food and festivities!

Lerner and Rowe Gives Back is pleased to be a fourth year sponsor of the Tucson Heart & Stroke Ball that directly supports the American Heart Association’s fight against heart disease and stroke. Funds raised will be used to support their health and education initiatives efforts in Tucson that advocate for healthy policies and improved hospital quality of care, fund medical research, and promote healthy behaviors that help every heart.  

For 2021, the Tucson Heart and Stroke Ball will be a one-of-a-kind digital experience that can be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home on Saturday, February 13, 2021 from 6:00 p.m – 7:00 p.m MST. To participate in this life-saving fundraiser and celebration of life, register online, make an online donation, or bid for auction items online through your smartphone, tablet, or computer.  

You’ll definitely want to tune in on February 13 so as not to miss out on this rewarding event and to learn more about the additional opportunities to show support and give back by partaking in the year-round Open Your Heart campaign.  

For more specific information about the 2021 Tucson Heart Ball Digital Experience, please contact Teresa Shami with the American Heart Association at 520-917-7534 or [email protected].

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Photos from 2020 Tucson Heart and Stroke Ball:

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Celebrating National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day

Across the United States, citizens come together on January 9 for National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day to show their support of law enforcement officers. We were thrilled to have our neighbors and community partners in the Las Vegas area join us in creating this video to show our mutual appreciation and gratitude for our heroes in blue.

All of us are extremely thankful for the wonderful law enforcement officers that work hard and sacrifice much to help ensure our communities are safe.

Watch now to view and hear our collective heart-felt messages of gratitude:

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Arizona’s Family Christmas Angel program has not had the same level of participation as years past. To help increase Angel adoptions in 2020, and help ensure that no child is left without a gift on Christmas morning, AZFamily hosted an emergency drive-thru toy drive to collect toys and monetary donations. After our team saw this request for help, we hopped into our van and presented a $5,000 check to Arizona’s Family’s Ian Schwartz—who was dressed as a merry elf in red and green. While at the drive-thru toy drive, we were thrilled to see the pile of toys grow as numerous valley residents brought more toys.

How You Can Adopt or Donate to Benefit an Arizona Christmas Angel   

Every year Christmas Angel gives gifts to more than 52,000 Arizona children in need. If you would like to help bring cheer to an Arizona child in need, you have until December  23 to take a tag from a Christmas Angel tree found in malls across the Phoenix Valley. You can also adopt an angel virtually by going to the Salvation Army’s website. 

The Salvation Army shared this list of items especially needed for the kids. They also request that you do not wrap the gifts before dropping them off. 

• Legos for boys and girls
• Earphones
• Arts and crafts sets
• Hair accessories for girls
• Barbies
• Soccer balls, basketballs, and other sports equipment
• Scooters
• Baby toys

You can also support the Salvation Army’s humanitarian efforts outside of the Christmas Angel program by making an online donation at the Salvation Army’s website.

Questions? Please contact the Salvation Army directly by calling 602-267-4100, or you can connect on their website. 

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Photos from the 2020 Arizona’s Family Christmas Angel drive-thru toy drive: 

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We are proud to partner with Fiesta Bowl Charities to donate and dedicate a new football field at CartWright Elementary School. The previously dead grass field was covered with 80,000 square feet of turf that was used at Chase Field during the 2019 Cheeze-It Bowl. 

As sports have played a major role in the lives of some of our team members and their families, knowing that the students will be given the opportunity to play soccer and football on a plush field is an amazingly uplifting realization for us. 

We couldn’t be more pleased to partner with community organizations like Fiesta Bowl Charities that share our interests in helping to improve the lives of struggling and disadvantaged children and families in cities across Arizona.

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Watch this video produced by Manley Films for more details:

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Photos from the dedication:

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Spreading Holiday Cheer

Our Las Vegas Gives Back team is sponsoring the Clark County School District Police Department’s 2020 Shop With A Cop program that is bringing holiday cheer to 60 of the poorest families in the valley identified by school police officers. Now that the shopping is complete, we have plans to deliver the presents purchased by the Las Vegas law enforcement officers to each family, plus a $50 Smith’s gift card donated by Lerner and Rowe.

Shopping With a Cop

Last Thursday and Saturday our team, along with police officers from all over the city, visited the Walmart on 1807 W. Craig Rd. in North Las Vegas to fill up shopping carts with gift items and toys from each family’s Santa Wish list. In years past, children would join police officers for a fun shopping excursion. Unfortunately, coronavirus restrictions prevented that from happening this year. Fortunately, we still had the opportunity to shop and look forward to delivering holiday cheer along with the Christmas bounties lovingly gathered for the families.

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Video from our day shopping with a cop in North Las Vegas:

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Photos from our day shopping with Las Vegas police officers for Christmas gifts:

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On December 15, Arizona high school senior athletes and coaches will be honored for their achievements in excellence throughout the 2020 school year at the National Football Foundation (NFF) Valley of the Sun Chapter’s 28th Annual Arizona Champions Recognition event. This year’s event will be hosted virtually on Sports360AZ.com and The Brad Cesmat’s Football AZ Show on Fox Sports Arizona with Former NFL Great Jake Plummer joining Brad Cesmat on the show. 

Arizona champions to be honored for their 2020 accomplishments include: 

• Division Title Teams and Coaches
• Legend Namesake Position Award Winners
• Earl Putnam – Coach of the Year
• Frank Kush – NFF Player of the Year

Our team is pleased to be a nine-year sponsor of this event, especially during this extraordinarily challenging year. 

When and Where to Watch

In previous years this awards recognition ceremony has been held in person as a luncheon. For 2020, Sports360AZ.com will stream the show on-demand, at no charge, starting on Tuesday, December 15 at 6:00 p.m., 6:30 p.m., and 9:30 p.m. Sports360AZ.com will stream the show on-demand, at no charge.   

For more information about the National Football Foundation Valley of the Sun Chapter and the virtual champions recognition event, please contact Bob Boyles at [email protected].