Vancouver, Victoria to shine blue in honour of World Wish Day

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – More than a dozen popular spots in Vancouver and Victoria are lighting up Sunday to celebrate an international charity that’s granted nearly half a million wishes since 1980.

The sails at Canada Place, Vancouver City Hall, BC Place and Victoria’s parliament buildings will shine blue to celebrate the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

Stuart Chase with the BC and Yukon chapter says the most popular dreams fulfilled involve a trip to Disneyland.

“Fifty per cent of all of our wishes are Disney-related, but the wishes run the gamut from going fishing in Tofino, some kids want to meet celebrities and of course, this being Hollywood North, that brings a lot of kids to Vancouver’s Deadpool set, for example.”

He adds more than two thousand critically ill children have had their wishes granted by the local chapter.

“We don’t view wishes just as nice to have, we view them as need to have. This is a necessary part of kids going through treatment. We view wishes as being necessary to their treatment –to really give them a boost of hope, strength and joy that helps them get through that really difficult time that they’re going through.”

Since the first wish was granted in 1980, the charity’s made approximately 450-thousand dreams come true worldwide.

Organizers of Sunday’s celebration are asking supporters to take selfies and post them on social media using #WorldWishDay and tag @makeawishbcyk.

To donate to Make-A-Wish BC & Yukon, click here.

Also, if you want to support World Wish Day and indulge your sweet tooth, the Giovane Café at the Fairmont Pacific Rim is donating all the money collected from dessert sales on Sunday to Make-A-Wish.

List of participating locations:

• BC Parliament Buildings ceremonial entrance and front fountain | 501 Belleville Street, Victoria, BC
• BC Place Stadium | 777 Pacific Boulevard, Vancouver, BC
• Rogers Arena | 800 Griffiths Way, Vancouver, BC
• The Dome at Telus World of Science | 1455 Quebec Street, Vancouver, BC
• Vancouver Convention Centre, Jack Poole Plaza + District Markers | 1075 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC
• The Sails at Canada Place | 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC
• The Kalen Capital Building | 662 W. Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC
• The Leckie Building | 220 Cambie Street, Vancouver, BC
• Vancouver City Hall | 453 W. 12th Avenue, Vancouver, BC
• Telus Gardens | 777 Richards Street, Vancouver
• Vancouver Lookout at Harbour Centre | 555 W. Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC
• North Vancouver City Hall + trees in the civic plaza | 141 W. 14th Street, North Vancouver, BC