The path to this moment didn't begin in a ballroom.
It began in a warehouse.
In a space where forklifts move pallets, where materials are unpacked, where ideas are tested, refined, and sometimes rebuilt entirely. It's not the image most people associate with luxury.
That journey led, last Thursday evening, to the 2026 Evening of Wishes, A World of Wishes gala, hosted by Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area at the historic Palace Hotel in San Francisco. Beneath its grand chandeliers and gilded ceilings, a community gathered with a shared purpose—and by the end of the night, more than $1.2 million had been raised to grant life-changing wishes for children facing critical illnesses.
For MUOI, the evening represented more than participation. It was the realization of a conversation that began many months ago with Anne Muldoon, Director of Corporate Development at Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area. What started as a simple idea—to contribute in a meaningful way—evolved into a partnership grounded in a shared belief that we must do more for children in our communities.
For Liz, this commitment did not begin with MUOI.
Years earlier, she served as a wish-granter for the chapter—working directly with families and witnessing firsthand the impact a single wish can have. That experience left a lasting impression. Over time, she came to realize that while granting wishes was meaningful, she could extend her impact even further by helping fund them—by contributing in a way that could reach more children, more families, and more moments that matter.
As part of that commitment, MUOI contributed two pieces to the silent auction. One of them, a one-of-a-kind Milano Messenger, was created specifically for this occasion. Hand-painted with the Make-A-Wish emblem, it stood apart—not only for its rarity, but for what it represented.
It carried with it the hours spent sourcing materials from Italy. The decisions made to prioritize quality over convenience. The belief that every detail matters, even when no one is watching. And ultimately, the choice to use that work in service of something larger.
Supporting children—particularly those whose families may not have the means to experience these life-changing wishes—is not a marketing initiative. It is a continuation of that earlier work. A recognition that a single moment of joy, of hope, of possibility, can shift the trajectory of a child's experience in ways that are difficult to measure, but impossible to ignore.
The evening served as a reminder that luxury, at its highest level, is not defined by exclusivity alone. It is defined by intention.
By what is created.
By how it is made.
And by what it ultimately gives back.
In that room at the Palace Hotel, alongside Anne and a community committed to impact, the journey from warehouse to gala did not feel like a contrast. It felt like a continuum.
One that MUOI is only just beginning to write.