Atlanta Restaurant - grace 17.20 - Makes Birthday Wish Come True

Atlanta restaurant raises $6000 and through Make-A-Wish Foundation, makes a young man's culinary wish come true.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) January 12, 2006 -- For the second year in a row, grace 17.20, one of Atlanta’s top restaurants, has made a child’s wish come true through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Back in the early spring of 2005, chef/owner Barbara DiJames began thinking of ways to celebrate the restaurant’s one-year anniversary. “It was our birthday, and while we wanted to celebrate what a fantastic year it has been, we also wanted to give back to those who have so graciously supported us and then be able to share a little of our success with someone less fortunate,” she says.

Rather than charging a handsome ticket price for a big public event at the restaurant, DiJames decided to keep the crowd special and limited to regular guests and friends. On October 9, grace 17.20 celebrated its one-year anniversary with an intimate gathering for 50 with passed hors d’oeuvres, a sumptuous buffet, fine champagne and wine and an open bar. The highlight of the afternoon festivities was a single silent auction item consisting of seven bottles of highly collectible wine crafted by renowned winemaker Heidi Peterson Barrett.

“We invited guests to participate in the silent auction when we sent out invitations. We made them aware of the average cost to purchase a wish for Make-A-Wish, and they really came through for us,” she explains. The auction lot sold for $6000.

DiJames then contacted Make-A-Wish and learned of a food- and cooking-related wish and “immediately, we knew that we wanted to make this young man’s wish come true!”

Jacob is a 17 year old, who was born with a heart defect...In December 2004, he underwent a heart transplant and during his extensive recovery, he became a huge fan of the Food Network, and in particular, chef celebrity Paula Deen. His wish was to meet Paula Deen and not only did he get to meet her, she invited his whole family to her home on Tybee Island, Georgia, where Jacob watched the chef at work and the whole group enjoyed a home-cooked meal together! Then, Jacob tested his new heart by climbing to the 178 steps to the top of the Tybee Island lighthouse.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation has been one of the charities most supported by the restaurant since it opened in September 2004. Make-A-Wish grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses to enrich their human experience with hope, strength, and joy.

“Make-A-Wish’s mission is to share the power of the wish,” notes DiJames. “Being able to make Jacob’s wish come true is the best birthday present that we could have ever wished for!”

grace 17.20 is Atlanta magazine’s Best OTP Restaurant (Outside the Perimeter) 2005 and was included in their annual list of ten Best New Restaurants 2005. Best Life magazine says grace 17.20 is the ‘Best Place to Close a Deal’ and Inside Gwinnett named grace Most Romantic Restaurant 2005.

grace 17•20 is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday, and available for special events on Sunday.

grace 17•20 at The Forum
5155 Peachtree Parkway
Suite 320
Norcross, Georgia 30092
Telephone: 678.421.1720
Fax: 678.421.9619
Online: grace1720.com

For more information, please contact:
Elizabeth McDonald
McDonald Media
404.822.3788

# # #