Family fun will be the order of the evening at the sixth annual Minnesota Miracle New Year’s Eve Celebration, Friday, December 31, at the Hilton Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Hotel in Bloomington. All proceeds will benefit The Miracles of Mitch Foundation (MOMF). Tickets are available at www.MiraclesofMitch.org/newyears.  

“Many families don’t know what to do with themselves when it comes to celebrating New Year’s Eve,” says Scott Youngblood, Hilton General Manager. “Often, their family tradition consists of staying home and watching others have fun on TV. We’d like to invite everyone to start a new family tradition of making their own memories at the Minnesota Miracle New Year’s Eve Celebration. This party is one of the best family New Year’s Eve events in the Twin Cities—and attendees will make an impact on the lives of pediatric cancer families in Minnesota.”

This family gala event will feature a dinner and program, auctions and a variety of kids’ activities, including bingo, arts and crafts. In addition, everyone will dance to the sounds of CBO (Casablanca Orchestra)—one of the Twin Cities’ top live bands, playing everything from the Swinging ‘40s to today’s Top 40. CBO plays across
the country at a variety of functions, including the Presidential Inaugural “Freedom Ball” in 2005.

The Hilton MSP Airport Hotel has created special Miracle New Year’s Eve Packages so attendees can enjoy the entire evening without having to drive home after the party. These packages include overnight accommodations, dinner and dance, Miracle Brunch on New Year’s Day and gift bags.

“We have everything in place for a very special evening,” says Youngblood. “Best of all, no one has to drive home after midnight.”

Proceeds will help fund the Minnesota Miracle, a collaborative program between MOMF, the Hilton Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Hotel and Mall of America that provides weekend getaways for families of pediatric cancer patients. Each family receives two adjoining hotel rooms decorated with age-appropriate toys for the patient and accompanying siblings or friends; prepaid Visa gift cards for a MOA shopping spree; Holiday gas card; passes to Nickelodeon Universe and Underwater Adventures, breakfast at the Hilton, kitchen tours with the Hilton’s Executive Chef Eric G. Baker; and disposable cameras to record their experience. Everything is in place for a stress-free family getaway that will create long-lasting memories. Last year, the Hilton hosted 82 pediatric cancer families on these special weekends.

The Miracles of Mitch Foundation was born during the 2002 holiday season when cancer patient Mitch Chepokas emptied his bank account and anonymously gave his life savings (more than $6,000) to other pediatric cancer families so they could have a happy holiday season. When he learned that he wouldn’t live to see the next Christmas, he made his dad pinky swear to continue helping cancer families.

Although Mitch died a few months later, the foundation was born and has since provided financial and quality-of-life assistance to hundreds of families of children battling cancer. The organization’s assistance includes helping these families make mortgage/rent and car payments, purchase groceries and pay for childcare, offering a one-week summer camp for current and past cancer patients and their siblings, hosting Minnesota Miracle weekend getaways to the Hilton Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Hotel and Mall of America, and creating specially-tailored quality-of-life initiatives for kids with an advanced stage of cancer (i.e. parties and trips).

For more information about The Miracles of Mitch Foundation and the Minnesota Miracle New Year’s Eve Celebration, visit www.MiraclesofMitch.org.