MUKWONAGO, WI – On Thursday, Jan. 19, Milwaukee Bucks Guard Pat Connaughton will be the featured speaker at the annual Mukwonago Community Kids For Wish Kids kickoff event at 6 p.m. at the Mukwonago High School Gym. Connaughton will be joined by Coach Rick Witte, Mukwonago Varsity Girls Basketball Coach and Make-A-Wish® dad.
Themed “Strength. Hope. Community,” the kickoff meeting will be the official start to a two-week fast break of fundraising by various Mukwonago athletic and student groups, including track & field, band and youth basketball, Muskego Varsity boys’ and girls’ basketball teams, and various other groups. The community can support the cause by pledging donations to the students who will participate in a “free-throw-a-thon.” The fundraiser will run Jan. 19 through Feb. 2, with a check presentation and celebration between the girls’ and boys’ high school varsity basketball games between Mukwonago and Muskego on Thursday, Feb. 2.
The Jendusa Family, in collaboration with the Pat Connaughton Foundation and Connaughton Courts, are working together with the Mukwonago community to raise a goal of $150,000 for Make-A-Wish® Wisconsin, encouraging philanthropic giving among young people and the community. The event also is supported by BreakThrU Strategies and Xiogenix, which are building a new corporate headquarters complex in Muskego.
“It takes a caring community of people to grant wishes for children living with critical illnesses,” said Patti Gorsky, President and CEO, Make-A-Wish Wisconsin. “We could not begin to fulfill these life-affirming wishes without the great students, staff, their families and the greater Mukwonago, Muskego and other surrounding communities, who are making magic happen through their creative efforts, infectious energy and hustle. These efforts will bring hope, strength, joy and beautiful memories made for wish kids and their families.”
Who: Pat Connaughton, Rick Witte, Mukwonago students and community members, coaches, volunteers and Make-A-Wish Wisconsin staff
Contact: Forrest Doolen – 262.853.0762 (cell)
When: Thursday, Jan. 19, at 6 p.m.
Where: Mukwonago High School, 605 W. Veterans Way
ABOUT MAKE-A-WISH WISCONSIN
Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Since the Wisconsin chapter was founded in 1984, more than 7,800 Wisconsin families have experienced the power of a wish, resulting for many in a turning point in the fight against their illnesses. Currently, more than 500 children are waiting for their life-changing wishes to be granted through Make-A-Wish Wisconsin. According to a recent wish impact study, a Make-A-Wish experience leads to increased emotional and physical health for wish children. For more information on making a donation or getting involved, please visit www.wish.org/wisconsin or call 800.236.9474.
ABOUT THE PAT CONNAUGHTON FOUNDATION
The Pat Connaughton Foundation exists to inspire and motivate young athletes to put their dreams into action—whatever their dreams may be. Captained by Milwaukee Bucks champion Pat Connaughton, the organization is focused on making a positive impact in the hearts, minds, and futures of young athletes by making the sport of basketball accessible to kids across the world. Through three keys of Courts, Clinics and Character, PCF offers an unrivaled experience that teaches translatable life skills such as work-ethic, teamwork, leadership, accountability, discipline and how to develop a competitive edge on and off the court. Because basketball is so much more than a game. It’s a way of life.
