Make-A-Wish® Illinois Chapter

Billy Dec/Rockit Ranch Productions

Top: Billy Dec Bottom: Wish kid Sydney with Billy at the 2010 Jeans for Wishes Fashion Show

Late in the evening in December 2005, Make-A-Wish volunteers were nearly 24 hours into a fundraising radio-thon at WLUP-FM. Billy Dec was listening, and having heard the touching stories all day long and late into the night, felt the need to be immediately involved. He put together bags and bags of delicious food from Rockit Bar & Grill and surprised the radio staff and Make-A-Wish volunteers with a late night delivery.

"If you ever need anything, call me," he said to the Make-A-Wish staff that night. And Debbie Purcell, manager of special events for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois never forgot his generosity, or his offer.

Dec and the team at Rockit Ranch Productions have helped throw a series of events in conjunction with the Foundation's Associate Board and Wish Ball Committee. Once involved, he was hooked on helping kids realize their dreams even as they battled life-threatening medical conditions.

"I wanted nothing more than to give as much as I could to these seriously ill kids at Make a Wish," Dec said. "I was surprised and humbled to find that they were the ones making a wonderful lasting impression on me!" 

At the 2010 Jeans for Wishes fashion show, Dec met wish child Sydney Martin, a teen who designs jewelry made from stones found along the shore of Lake Michigan. He was so touched by her story of how she deals with the difficulties of her illness by focusing on creating her unique jewelry that he began wearing one of her creations.

Involved since 2006, Dec and Rockit Ranch productions support the Foundation in a number of ways including donating venues for events, providing items for fundraising auctions and sharing the mission of the Foundation with their customers through fundraising events they host on their own annually. For the last three years, Billy Dec and The Underground have hosted The Grinch That Gave Back Christmas, a party to benefit Make-A-Wish Through his involvement, Dec is introducing the Foundation to the cohort of supporters who will help Make-A-Wish grant wishes to future generations of wish children.

"With so many great causes in Chicago, we're thankful that Billy has chosen to support Make-A-Wish," said Debbie Purcell, Special Events Manager for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois. "His energy and positive attitude are infectious and will certainly draw more people to help share the power of a wish in the future."