The Hudson Valley Renegades and Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley have partnered to present Make-A-Wish Night at Heritage Financial Park on Wednesday, Aug. 23 when the Renegades take on the Aberdeen IronBirds. The night will feature eight local Wish Kids to serve as Lil’ Renegades for the night. The Lil’ Renegades All-Stars will receive a VIP experience and get an opportunity to live a day in the life of a professional baseball player.
Each Wish Kid will receive their own Renegades uniform and baseball cards, courtesy of our friends at Camelot Print & Copy. After arriving at the ballpark, the Lil’ Renegades will receive a contract making them Renegades for the day, and hold a short media availability and photo shoot from 3:30-4:00 p.m.
At 4 PM, the Lil’ Renegades will head down to the field for batting practice where they will sit and watch and sign autographs for players. Each Lil’ Renegade will throw out a ceremonial first pitch prior to the game and will accompany the Renegades onto the field during the pregame introductions prior to the singing of the National Anthem.
“We are grateful to the Hudson Valley Renegades for their continued support of our organization and wish families,” said Abraham Almanza, Director of Marketing & Volunteer Management of Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley. “Through the generosity of this great community partner and their dedicated fans, we not only are able to provide more children and their families with life-changing experiences that can bring them hope, but it also offers the opportunity to bring forth awareness about volunteering and getting involved locally with our organization. We look forward to seeing the inaugural Lil’ Renegades All-Star team take the field and to see the joy and happiness that it will bring them and their families.”
“We are beyond excited to introduce our first ever Lil’ Renegades All-Star Team in partnership with Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley,” said Marcella Costello, Manager of Community Relations for the Renegades. “There are countless ways in this industry that can make a positive impact on someone’s life and this is an event that we hope will fulfill our mission of creating magical experiences that become lifelong memories, not just for the kids, but their family. The ability to provide a unique and magical experience to local children and their families is something special.”
The Lil’ Renegades will also be a central part of the in-game entertainment, standing in for Renegades players in several capacities.
The Renegades and Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley are offering a special ticket for the game at this link, where $5 from every ticket purchased will support Make-A-Wish to continue their mission of granting wishes to kids across the Hudson Valley. A wish renews hope, uplifts spirits and encourages the belief in the impossible. With your support, we know anything is possible!
Meet the Lil’ Renegades
- Ahmed, wished to meet WWE’s John Cena (wish granted in 2018).
- Ava, wished to have an outdoor playset (wish granted in 2022).
- Bryan, wished to go to the MLB All-Star Game (wish granted in 2022).
- Camryn, wished to have an outdoor sports court (wish granted in 2022).
- Carter, wished to go to Walt Disney World (wish granted in 2020).
- Isabella, wished to have a treehouse (wish granted in 2021).
- Joe, wished to go to Walt Disney World (wish granted in 2023).
- Parimala, wished to go to Walt Disney World (wish granted in 2023).
WHEN: Wednesday, August 23rd from 3:30 PM to 4:00 PM. 6:30 PM Pre-Game, 7:00 PM Game Start.
WHERE: Heritage Financial Park, 1500 NY-9D, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590
WHY: Because of the backlog of wishes created by the pandemic, there are 230 children with critical illnesses waiting for their wish to be granted – waiting for hope. This is the largest list of waiting kids we have ever seen in our chapter’s history. As quickly as we are granting wishes, we are receiving referrals for new wish requests daily. The primary reason these families are waiting is funding, but YOU can help make these wishes come true and provide HOPE for local children. Help us grant wishes this summer by visiting hudson.wish.org/summer
