HILTON HEAD, South Carolina | The University of North Georgia Student Athlete Advisory Committee has been awarded its fourth consecutive Peach Belt Conference Make-A-Wish award for the most funds raised announced on Tuesday evening at the league's annual meeting.

North Georgia raised $17,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation for the 2013-14 academic year, the highest single-season total for any PBC school in history.  It is also the fourth year in a row that the Nighthawks have reached the five-digit mark for their annual giving, and they remain the only PBC institution to reach that mark.

Georgia College came in second with $9,385 and Flagler was third with $6,555.  Montevallo contributed $3,825 and Young Harris rounded out the top five with $3,660.

Overall, Peach Belt Conference members raised $49,508 up almost $16,000 from last year's conference total with 10 out of 14 schools giving a thousand or more. 

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy.  Born in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is now the largest wish-granting charity I the world, with 66 chapters in the United States and its territories.  Led by the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Division II schools raised $517,465 for the Make-A-Wish campaign during 2012-13, besting the previous year's efforts by almost $50,000 and setting a Division II fundraising record.

Since beginning its alliance with Make-A-Wish in 2003, Division II has raised more than $3 million toward granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. These wishes can serve as a game changer in children's fights against their illnesses, helping them feel better, and in some cases even get better.

For 2013-14, Make-A-Wish is adding a matching incentive to Division II's fundraising efforts. Every dollar a DII school raises beyond its 2012-13 total will be matched, up to $1,000 per school.