Make-A-Wish Mother's Day Truck Convoy will have a new home in 2027. Posted: Oct 12, 2026 / 09:35 PM EDT Updated: Oct 12, 2026 / 09:35 PM EDT LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) - The Make-A-Wish Mother's Day Truck Convoy has been a longtime staple of Lancaster County for over three decades. Its 38th edition will have a new home in 2027. Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley announced Monday that next year's convoy will take place at Hess Auctioneers in Marietta on Saturday, May 8, 2027. This week in pennsylvania. The event's starting point for the last seven years has been at the Manheim PA Auto Auction. LNP | LancasterOnline reported in August that the convoy, which moved from the Burle Business Park in 2020, was looking for a new host following "logistical issues" on the auto auction's end. "We are thrilled to have found a new home for the Mother's Day Truck Convoy at Hess Auctioneers," Jennifer Davis, President & CEO of Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley, said in a press release. "This event is such a meaningful tradition for our drivers, wish families and supporters, and we are excited to continue bringing everyone together in Lancaster County to make wishes come true." "Hess Auctioneers is humbled and excited to partner with Make-A-Wish to host the 38th annual Truck Convoy," Bill Troop, GM/Partner, Hess Auctioneers, said. "Our team and partner companies are looking forward to being part of and supporting this exciting event. It's an excellent opportunity for us to give back to a great cause while helping to shine a positive light on the trucking industry." Since its inception, the convoy has raised over $10 million, also aiding in making over 1,000 wishes possible for children across the region. The 2027 iteration will feature Family Fest, which offers activities and entertainment for families at 9 a.m., before the convoy hits the road at 1:30 p.m. for its 18-mile route through Lancaster County. As part of the accommodation for the site at Hess, the convoy will be limited to 150 tractor-trailers in 2027. Registration opens Monday, Oct. 19. There will be no on-site registration on the day of the event. The 2026 convoy was the first to travel through Dauphin County. It raised nearly $450,000 for the foundation and featured just under 400 trucks along its 33-mile route.

Make-A-Wish and Chef Thomas Keller selected for College of Human Sciences' 33rd annual International Quality of Life Awards in New York City. September 10, 2026 5 min 28 sec In its 33rd year honoring individuals, partnerships and organizations that significantly impact quality of life and change the world, the College of Human Sciences' annual International Quality of Life Awards (IQLA) returns to New York City to honor the world's largest wish-granting organization and a world renowned chef/proprietor with a special celebration inside the iconic Rainbow Room on the 65th floor of the Rockefeller Center on Monday, Dec. 7. Make-A-Wish and Chef Thomas Keller will join the legacy of dozens of other laureates and lifetime achievement award recipients dedicated to advancing well-being through their leadership qualities, vision, service and far-reaching impact that continually makes an extraordinary difference in the lives of others aligning with the mission of the College of Human Sciences and the IQLA - improving quality of life and changing the world. Following a record-setting night in the nation's capital celebrating the 32nd annual IQLA in Washington, D.C. for the first time in 2025, IQLA returns to the place where it all began 33 years ago in New York City. "This year's honorees have a natural connection to the work we do in Human Sciences. Chef Thomas Keller's leadership and influence in hospitality reflect the level of excellence we strive to instill in our Hospitality Management students, while Make-A-Wish's commitment to children and families speaks directly to the heart of our work in Philanthropy and Non-profit leadership and in Human Development and Family Science. We are honored to celebrate two remarkable examples of people and organizations using their gifts to improve quality of life and change the world." College of Human Sciences Dean Susan Hubbard "After a memorable year in Washington, D.C., we are excited to celebrate the 33rd International Quality of Life Awards once again in New York City, a place that has been such an important part of the IQLA story," said Susan Hubbard, dean of Auburn University's College of Human Sciences. "This year's honorees have a natural connection to the work we do in Human Sciences. Chef Thomas Keller's leadership and influence in hospitality reflect the level of excellence we strive to instill in our Hospitality Management students, while Make-A-Wish's commitment to children and families speaks directly to the heart of our work in Philanthropy and nonprofit leadership and in Human Development and Family Science. We are honored to celebrate two remarkable examples of people and organizations using their gifts to improve quality of life and change the world." Make-A-Wish President and CEO Leslie Motter will accept the Laureate Award on behalf of the organization at the IQLA celebration on Dec. 7. Make-A-Wish, receiving the 2026 IQLA Laureate Award, is the world's largest wish-granting organization, granting life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Founded in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the No. 1 most trusted nonprofit operating in all 50 states throughout the U.S., and also has a network of affiliates in over 50 countries across six continents. Together with generous donors, supporters, staff and more than 20,000 volunteers across the country, Make-A-Wish helps children and families find hope and strength in the midst of a medical journey. Make-A-Wish President and CEO Leslie Motter will accept the award on behalf of the organization at the IQLA celebration on Dec. 7. Before assuming her role as president and CEO in 2022, Motter was a senior member of the Make-A-Wish America leadership team for nearly a decade, joining the organization in 2013 and advancing to chief operating officer in 2015. An accomplished business leader, Motter built an extensive career in operations, management and organizational leadership. Prior to Make-A-Wish, Motter served in leadership roles at American Express, Aetna, Vanguard and Prudential, bringing a proven record of building high-performing teams and driving growth and impact to her work with the organization. Just as the College of Human Sciences Department of Human Development and Family Science recognizes the incredible importance of family relationships and the emotional well-being of children and caregivers, Make-A-Wish understands the power of a wish, as research shows that wishes can help improve emotional and physical well-being, strengthen resilience and help families cope with traumatic stress. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 650,000 wishes worldwide, including more than 400,000 in the U.S. and its territories. The IQLA Lifetime Achievement Award, an honor reserved for outstanding individuals who have achieved success in their chosen professions, will be presented to internationally acclaimed Chef Thomas Keller. The IQLA will add to his impressive list of culinary accolades that includes earning The Culinary Institute of America's "Chef of the Year" Award, the James Beard Foundation's "Outstanding Chef" and "Outstanding Restaurateur" Awards and Michelin Guide's Chef Mentor Award. Chef Keller has established a collection of restaurants - Thomas Keller Restaurant Group - that sets a new paradigm within the hospitality profession. He is the first and only American-born chef to hold multiple three-star ratings from the prestigious Michelin Guide - for The French Laundry and Per Se - in addition to being awarded one star for The Surf Club Restaurant, becoming the most honored American chef by Michelin Guide, as well as the first American male chef to be designated a Chevalier of The French Legion of Honor, the highest decoration in France. This year, eight students were chosen for the tour - an educational enrichment opportunity where students served as ambassadors for the college while getting to experience Washington, D.C. Prior to being recognized at IQLA, Chef Keller's team will provide a group of College of Human Sciences ambassadors chosen to take part in the IQLA Study Tour a one-of-a-kind experience, offering a behind the scenes look at his New York City restaurant, Per Se, with a back of the house tour and offering an exclusive look at the elegant dining room setting overlooking Central Park. Chef Keller's legacy of mentorship makes him a natural fit for the IQLA Lifetime Achievement Award. Through his restaurants, he has helped launch the careers of many of today's leading chefs, while his work with the Ment'or Foundation has provided grants, mentorship and international learning opportunities to young culinary professionals. Chef Keller holds honorary doctorates in Culinary Arts from Johnson and Wales University and The Culinary Institute of America and led a team from the U.S. to its first-ever gold medal in the Bocuse d'Or, a prestigious biennial competition that is regarded as the Olympics of the culinary world. With more than 1.6 million copies in circulation, he is the author of six cookbooks, including the most recently released The French Laundry, Per Se. Included among the notable past IQLA laureates and lifetime achievement honorees over the years are Olympic great Scott Hamilton and fashion icon Billy Reid, Habitat for Humanity International cofounder Millard D. Fuller; FEED founder and CEO Lauren Bush Lauren; Congressman John Lewis; Nobel Peace Prize laureate Norman Borlaug and most recently former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and former NASA astronaut and Auburn alumna Jan Davis '77. Make-A-Wish and Keller will soon join this distinguished group of honorees in December. The black-tie International Quality of Life Awards gala is attended by guests from across the country, members of Auburn University leadership, as well as selected College of Human Sciences students as part of the IQLA Study Tour. The gala will begin with a reception at 6:30 p.m. followed by dinner and the awards celebration inside the iconic Rainbow Room on the 65th floor of the Rockefeller Center in New York City on Monday, Dec. 7.

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