Children participate in the Dec. 2 grand-opening ceremony at the Samuel & Josephine Wishing Place, the newly built castle on Perrineville Road in Monroe that will serve as headquarters of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey. PHOTOS BY JEFF GRANIT staff MONROE — The Samuel & Josephine Wishing Place was only officially open for a matter of hours before the first wish was granted there.
That went to Casey Markowitz, 17, of Flanders, who wanted the chance to bake with Buddy Valastro, better known as the “Cake Boss” on TLC’s reality TV show of the same name. She learned Dec. 2, during the grand opening of the 20,000-square-foot castle owned by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey, that she would get her wish .
Markowitz was led to believe Valastro would appear in a video message during the event, but was surprised when the theater curtain was drawn, revealing the famous baker.
The Monroe Township Middle School Chorus sings “America the Beautiful” as the flag is raised. “It was exciting and scary. I didn’t know he was going to be there, so when I turned around I was just shocked,” Markowitz said. “It didn’t seem real.”
Mark, her father, said his daughter watched Valastro’s show extensively during her treatment.
“She was watching the show pretty much every night,” he said. “She made a lot of food at the house.”
Valastro, donors and members of the local and national board of the Make- A-Wish Foundation espoused the mission of the new facility, located on Perrineville Road and funded solely through private donations.
“I get asked to do a lot of different things for a lot of different people and organizations,” Valastro said. “I only do things for people who do the right thing.
Guests get their first look at the Samuel & Josephine Wishing Place, Perrineville Road, Monroe on Dec. 2. The castle will serve as headquarters of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey. JEFF GRANIT staff “You couldn’t pick a better cause to give to,” he added.
Tom Weatherall, president and CEO of the New Jersey chapter of Make-AWish, said the facility will be instrumental in granting the wishes of children and their families now and in the future.
“There are families going home tonight with news their child has a lifethreatening illness,” Weatherall said. “There are others who have doctors’ appointments tomorrow and Monday. They are on pins and needles about what that appointment might bring.
“The great news today is that our three towers of this castle are now a beacon of the hope, strength and joy that brings our mission to life,” he added. “This building is magical, this building is inspiring, this building is encouraging and motivating, this building calls for and invites dreaming.”
As of the opening, the facility was 92.5 percent funded, and Weatherall expected it would be 100 percent funded by the end of the year.
Joseph Plumeri, chairman and CEO of Willis Holdings and the honorary chairman of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey Capital Campaign, who donated $3 million to make the facility a reality, said people thanking him had it backward.
“I think people get it twisted, and I think that the thanks should go the other way around,” Plumeri said. “When I drove up to the driveway today, I felt good. I felt good because I’m a Jersey guy and this place is in New Jersey.”
While he initially agreed to contribute $2 million, he committed an additional $1 million if the foundation could find donors to match the amount.
“This country invented dreaming. This country invented people being allowed to make wishes and to believe that anything is possible, and that is what this represents,” he said. “You make a living by what you get, you make a life by what you give.”
He thanked his late father, Samuel, and his mother, Josephine, 97, the namesakes of the building, for their inspiration.
He also thanked Make-A-Wish for naming the welcoming hall of the facility after his late son, Christian.
“He never had a chance to make a wish,” He said. “You need to know why that name is up there, because he inspires me to help other people.”
Jack Morris, president and CEO of Edgewood Properties, who donated the land for the facility, said it was one of the best decisions he ever made.
“You wake up every day and wonder what are you doing and what are you doing it for, and you’re doing it for things like this,” Morris said. “All I can say is God’s blessed me in tremendous ways and I feel incredibly blessed to be able to stand here and take this honor.”
Morris initially offered 5 acres, but ultimately upped the offer to 14 acres when he got involved and personally added to the scope of the facility.
“I’ve been known to be a pretty tough negotiator, but this was an easy negotiation,” he said.
Mayor Richard Pucci also praised the facility and expressed pride that it will be part of the community.
“It goes way beyond Monroe Township,” he said. “This is a dream come true for so many. We will do everything possible to make this facility not only the finest in New Jersey, but finest in the USA.”
Prior to the ribbon cutting, the Monroe Township High School Marching Band led a parade to the front of the facility, where the Monroe Township Middle School Chorus sang “America the Beautiful.”
Following the main program, visitors were offered group tours of the new facility, which includes a multipurpose theater room for special performances and wish family gatherings; the Chris Greicius Inspiration Room, for the eyes of wish kids only, designed to stimulate the imagination; the Wishing Room, a private place where a child declares his or her wish in a high-tech room like they’ve never encountered; the Pond of Hope, where wish kids can enjoy the serenity of the water; and a courtyard where picnics, outdoor concerts and other special celebrations can be held.
With the completion of construction, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey will move its Union and Cherry Hill offices to the new location.