ORANGE BEACH — The annual Kids Win Fishing Tournament at The Wharf on Sept. 28 helped raise $20,000 in support of Make-A-Wish Alabama, which granted the wish for local wish kid, Brice, to go to Disney World with his family.

Tracy Smith, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Alabama, said the foundation's partnership with The Wharf started in 2014 and the sponsorship from the Kids Win Fishing Tournament started in 2021.

Smith said that The Wharf has contributed over $100,000 toward granting wishes through different events. A cumulative $60,000 has been raised through the Kids Win Fishing Tournament.

"This donation is the biggest donation that this event has ever given to us," Smith said about the $20,000 raised from the event.

Smith said that lately there has been an increase in wishes granted across Alabama with 215 wishes granted this year, "which is record breaking for our chapter."

"Unfortunately," Smith told the tournament attendees," every single year in the State of Alabama, more than 350 kids are diagnosed with a critical illness."

She encouraged contributions to the foundation stating that children who get to see their wishes granted have shown a better response to medical treatment. Smith also informed the audience that all of the money that is raised in Alabama "is here to serve Alabama wish kids."

"The Wharf is committed to creating fun, family-friendly experiences," Jade Hubbard, general manager of The Wharf said in a press release for the event, "and there's no better way to make lasting memories than by spending a day next to our scenic waterways or witnessing a local child's dream come true."

Donations for Make-A-Wish are accepted on their website at www.wish.org and can be designated to serve children at a national level or local (state) level, whichever the donor would prefer.