DAHLONEGA - In partnership with Make-A-Wish Georgia, the University of North Georgia celebrated its ninth consecutive Make-A-Wish Day by welcoming Katie, a nine-year old fourth grader from nearby Gainesville, to the Nighthawk Nation.

Katie has been honorably battling leukemia and is on track to "ring the bell" to signify the end of her chemotherapy treatments in March of 2021.

UNG Director of Athletics Lindsay Reeves and Nigel the Nighthawk surprised Katie with a home visit on Sunday (Nov. 15). Reeves delivered the news that Make-a-Wish Georgia would soon be delivering Katie's wish of a pink princess playhouse, giving her a private sanctuary to call her own.

In addition to the granted wish, Katie was greeted with a socially distant 31-car parade of UNG student-athletes and staff. The parade was escorted by patrol cars from the City of Gainesville and UNG Police departments and concluded with Katie receiving a trunk full of gifts of her favorite toys and decorations for the new playhouse.

Hopefully in the spring, UNG will invite Katie and her family to the Dahlonega campus for a home event where she will be honored as an official teammate for the day.
 
UNG Nighthawk athletics provides the perfect example of the commitment to Division II's long-standing relationship with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses.

Last year, Division II schools raised more than $205,000 as part of their ongoing partnership with Make-A-Wish. Since 2003, Division II schools have donated more than $6.4 million and granted over 760 wishes.
 
As a result of UNG's $13,800 donation in 2020, UNG was one of eight institutions to be given the opportunity to grant a wish and were one of just three schools to raise over $10,000, the average cost of granting a wish.

Since 2010, Nighthawk Athletics has raised over $195,000 for Make-A-Wish, having raised at least $10,000 in every year since, meaning more than 19 wishes have been granted from the efforts of the Nighthawk Nation.
 
Division II SAAC continues to use an allocation model that was adopted five years ago, which allows money from Division II championships and enforcement fines to supplement institutional fundraising to help schools host a wish reveal celebration on their campus.