PHOENIX (Oct. 8, 2008) – The Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of America today announced 11 celebrities and industry insiders as recipients of its 19th annual Chris Greicius Celebrity Awards. The honorees were selected for their exceptional dedication to the Foundation’s mission by helping grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

The recipients are:

Celebrity Wish Granters

• Actor George Lopez
• The cast and crew of the NBC TV series Deal or No Deal
• Recording artists Rascal Flatts
• Donald Trump, Chairman & President of the Trump Organization
• Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki
• Palace Sports & Entertainment, owner of the NBA Detroit Pistons

Industry Icons

• Howie Schwab, ESPN's TV series Stump the Schwab
• Dean Kurtz, chief guest-services officer for International Speedway Corporation
• Lori Rischer, artist manager & radio/marketing executive at THE FIRM
• Kenny Ortega, Disney’s High School Musical director, choreographer and producer
• Spooky Stevens, unit publicist

“The gift of time these winners offer is invaluable and ensures that each wish they are involved with brings unparalleled joy,” said David Williams, Make-A-Wish Foundation of America president and chief executive officer. “Their commitment to our mission creates irreplaceable memories and moments of joy for children facing life-threatening medical conditions. We are so grateful for their support, and hope that other children will share the power of a wish® with their help.”

Started in 1990, the Chris Greicius Celebrity Award is named in honor of the 7-year-old boy whose 1980 wish to be a police officer inspired a group of caring volunteers to fulfill his dream and later create the Foundation, now the largest wish-granting organization in the world.

Make-A-Wish^® chapters nominated celebrities for their efforts during the past year to grant amazing wishes to the wish kids who wanted to meet them. The Foundation’s Celebrity and National Sports Program staff chose the Chris Greicius Celebrity Award winners from those nominations and also selected industry icons for their dedication to wish kids in creating and planning memorable wish experiences for them.

The Celebrity and National Sports Program facilitates the wishes of children who ask to meet their favorite TV or movie star, musician, athlete, entertainment personality or other public figure. During fiscal year 2008 (ending Aug. 31), the Make-A-Wish Foundation fulfilled 880 celebrity or national sports wishes, about 6 percent of the more than 13,000 total wishes granted by the nonprofit organization.

For past winners of the Chris Greicius Celebrity Award, please see the accompanying list.

About the Make-A-Wish Foundation: The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is now the largest wish-granting charity in the world, with 66 chapters in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish every 40 minutes and has granted more than 171,000 wishes in the U.S. since inception. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit www.wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish^® .

Celebrity Wish Granters/Chris Greicius Celebrity Award Recipients List

1990: Scott Hamilton

1991: Don Majkowski, Jesse Ventura

1992: Willard Scott

1993: Billy Ray Cyrus

1994: Ken Griffey Jr., Hulk Hogan

1995: Richard Dean Anderson

1996: Karl Malone

1997: Kevin Sharp

1998: John Travolta

1999: David Hasselhoff, Geoffrey Bodine, Steve Burns, Kristi Yamaguchi, Backstreet Boys

2000: Mariah Carey, President Bill Clinton, Dawson’s Creek, Michael J. Fox, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Chuck Norris

2001: Bob Costas, Paul Walker, Cher, The West Wing, National Hockey League, Jeff Gordon

2002: Mark Wahlberg, Tony Hawk, Major League Baseball, *NSYNC, Emeril Lagasse, Michael Levitt

2003: Adam Sandler, Kurt Warner, David Brubeck, National Football League, Erin Dogan (Sony Studios/Columbia Pictures), Doug Frank (Warner Bros. Studios)

2004: Garth Brooks, the cast of Charmed, World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (WWE)

2005: Clay Aiken, American Chopper, Johnny Depp, National Basketball Association, Will Smith, Keith Urban

2006: Raven, Jerome Bettis, Good Charlotte, Nigel Barker, Major League Soccer, US Soccer Federation, Sue Aitchison (World Wrestling Entertainment), Cheryl Kisob (Disney Worldwide Outreach), Tony Stephens (Credence Artist Network)

2007: Law & Order: SVU, My Chemical Romance, Criss Angel, Brett Favre, ESPN, Mary Alice Stephenson, film producer Ian Bryce, Sandy Marshall (NASCAR Foundation), Orlando Bloom

2008: George Lopez, Deal or No Deal, Rascal Flatts, Donald Trump, Dirk Nowitzki, Palace Sports & Entertainment (NBA Detroit Pistons), Howie Schwab (ESPN), Dean Kurtz (International Speedway Corporation), Lori Rischer (THE FIRM), Kenny Ortega (Disney’s High School Musical director, choreographer and producer), Spooky Stevens (unit publicist)