In 2002, Chi Omega announced Make-A-Wish as their national philanthropy. Since then, the women of Chi Omega have collectively raised over 18 million dollars and volunteered nearly 1,000,000 hours in service of Make-A-Wish. The Make-A-Wish mission, as stated on their website, is to "grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy."

Imagine being told that you had a life-threatening illness. Now, imagine being a child having to hear those same words. Children can't possibly comprehend the magnitude of what those words mean, let alone prepare for the suffering of treatment and therapy ahead of them. They are supposed to have so much more life to look forward to. The Make-A-Wish Foundation makes these words a little more bearable for these children by giving them something to look forward to, something that keeps them wanting to fight against their illness.

The women of the Gamma chapter of Chi Omega, here at Florida State University, are so passionate about Make-A-Wish. Last year, Chi Omega's creole cookout raised over $30,000 in total. The average cost associated with coordinating a wish, as of 2016, was $10,130. That's 3 wishes granted, all because of the love and support of people who care.

This year, you can be a part of granting these wishes. On February 28th, The Gamma chapter of Chi Omega at Florida State University will be hosting their 3rd annual Chi Omega Creole Cookout benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation. This event will take place at Chi Omega’s house, where New Orleans-style food will be served in thanks to sponsors at Harry’s Restaurant. Tickets for the event can be purchased here. If you can't make it to the actual event, there are plenty of ways to get involved and contribute to this inspirational cause. You can donate to the fundraiser here. You may also be interested in entering your name in a drawing for the chance to win a Florida State Football helmet, signed by all FSU Heisman Trophy winners! You can buy in for a donation of $15 here.

Everyone who supports Make-A-Wish has their own personal reason why. Everyone knows someone who has been influenced by this foundation in some way. Come join Chi Omega on Fat Tuesday in hopes of raising over $20,000 for this amazing organization!