It all started in early December 2003, when the wish-granting team of Lynne Allen and Kelli Breaux, met with an amazing twelve year-old girl named Hope Stout. When they asked Hope to make a wish, she responded by asking, “How many children are waiting to have their wishes granted?” The wish team told her that 155 children were waiting. She immediately told them to make that her wish, explaining that she wanted to grant the wish of every child we had on our waiting list. She also wanted to do it by January 16th, 2004 at a Hollywood style celebration. After some rather frantic conversations with the main office, they came to the realization that we needed to raise $1,000,000 in thirty days, in order to grant Hope’s wish.

Although not quite sure how to do it, the wish team formed a committee and started planning for an event they called the “Celebration of Hope”. They had tremendous help from Hope’s parents, Stuart & Shelby Stout. They also had the help of their dear friends Tom Reeder and Bruce Mullan. Tom & Bruce got their company, Swisher, involved.

While the $1,000,000 didn’t happen before Christmas Eve, the phones and fax machine at our office rang continuously. Our website was getting over 300 hits a day (as compared to the then usual 20-30). Orders for Hope charms were overwhelming us. The mail coninued to pour in with heartfelt donations (including a money order for $1.00). We were conducting interviews with any radio or TV station that would grant one. The momentum was building and money was being raised like never before. An anonymous donor walked in and contributed $100,000 on the spot.

By January 4th, Make-A-Wish had received $500,000 of the $1,000,000 goal. Kevin Donnalley of the Carolina Panthers had previously met Hope over the summer and started getting the team involved in raising money. Two sets of playoff tickets were donated by John & Mark Richardson of the Carolina Panthers to help raise money. Hope was interviewed with Kevin on national TV. The Charlotte Observer’s Don Hudson wrote wonderful article about Hope’s story.

The community also became engaged in the effort and the goal was soon within reach. The city of Charlotte, Charlotte’s Center City Partners, and Bank of America helped raise money by organizing a Carolina Panther’s rally for Hope. Held in downtown Charlotte, the main street was choked closed by the more then 15,000 people who showed up to support the Super Bowl bound Panthers and Hope! Upwards of $50,000 was raised at the 3 hour Pep rally, getting us even closer to the goal. Individuals, schools, organizations, and corporations all helped us raise money for Hope’s wish.

On January 16th, 2004, thirty days from when Hope first expressed her wish, we held the 1st Annual “Celebration of Hope”. Hope couldn’t attend the event in person having lost her battle with cancer (but passing knowing her wish was going to come true) just a few days before, but her spirit was strongly felt. Almost 1,000 people from every walk of life filled the ballroom of the Westin Hotel in uptown Charlotte to celebrate Hope’s life and grant her wish.