GALLERY: Ally’s Wish Kicks Off Boots & Blessings
On Dec. 3, Tamara & Tony Casillas opened their home to kick-off the 6th Annual Ally’s Wish Boots & Blessings Gala with a night of sips, shopping and holiday cheer.
The team from Vestals Catering passed a delicious menu of appetizers and guests grazed on a beautiful charcuterie table. The Casillas home was beautifully decorated with holiday lights, multiple Christmas trees and 25 family photos taken each year with Santa and their children; a family tradition started by Tamara & Tony when their son was born.
Five years ago, four friends founded Ally’s Wish in honor of their dear friend, Allyson Hendrickson whose wish was the first to be granted before losing her battle with ovarian cancer in 2014. Hendrickson’s blog, 3 Little Cowboys began as a collection of letters and stories to her three young sons, but it quickly gained a national following spanning seven years. With her friends by her side, she unwrapped her published book, Three Little Cowboys. Today a portion of the sales from Hendrickson’s book benefits Ally’s Wish. Since its inception, Ally’s Wish has granted over 150 wishes to young mothers who’ve battled inflammatory breast cancer, Leukemia, colon cancer, and other terminal illnesses. Ally’s Wish currently has 120 moms waiting to have wishes granted with new requests arriving daily. The average cost to grant a wish is around $5K, and funds raised at the annual Boots & Blessings event are the main fundraiser for the organization.
The evening was filled with tributes to Hendrickson. The team from Kendra Scott brought their latest jewelry collection, including a special custom piece created by Founder Missy Phipps and Danielle Cornett in honor of Hendrickson. Guests were able to shop from the latest styles, just in time for the holidays, and a portion of sales benefitted Ally’s Wish. Hendrickson had loved candy sprinkles, so Sprinkles cupcakes donated branded cupcakes which were a hit, including their famous “SPRINKLES” cupcake which was front and center in remembrance.
(Photos by Bob Manzano)
