Our Fondest Wish

We at Convergent Technologies cherished the opportunity to once again be a Premiere Sponsor of the annual Wish Ball held by Make-A-Wish of South Carolina. This year’s theme was to celebrate wishes that have taken flight, changing the lives of many South Carolina Wish Kids.

A Wish Kid is a child suffering from a critical, life-threatening illness and the granted Wish provides the child and the family a moment out of their rut. This “moment out” is therapeutic and can often be pivotal in the outlook of the child by allowing their physical and emotional strengths to be replenished.

The Carroll Family

More than 70 percent of local wishes require travel, so in keeping with that theme, Convergent Technologies sponsored transportation in the form of valet service for the big event, complete with goody bags of popcorn for the drive home. (Thank you, Make-A-Wish for that nice touch!) Since Convergent Technologies now operates primarily out of Austin, Texas, in lieu of attending, we offered our sponsorship table to the Carroll family; Doug Carroll delivering the keynote address. We had the pleasure of meeting these folks back in December of 2018 at a lunch event in Greenville, SC, and were thoroughly impressed with them and their superstar Wish Kid, Cole, who seems to be a joyful young man although he battles a nervous system disorder.

Because of this condition, times away or footloose on an adventure are almost
impossible for the family to pull-off together, however, through Make-A-Wish, they had the incredible opportunity to travel to California and meet the cast of Cole’s favorite TV show, “Game Shakers.” The cast spent time with Cole and his family, and a lasting connection was formed. In fact, Sheldon Baily still keeps in contact with Cole and sent him an inspirational message that he often replays.

Wish reveal Disney Cruise for Kymari and his family

It’s humbling to contribute to efforts like these and it’s so fulfilling to see a Wish come true that brings the whole family a period of shared joy and excitement. We believe that those moments are indeed pivotal in the child’s therapeutic journey. Here at Convergent Technologies, that’s our fondest wish and one of the strongest reasons why we’ve been a partner with Make-A-Wish of South Carolina since 2016. This year the 2020 Wish Ball raised more than $285,000 through donations, sponsorships, and a live auction. With the average cost of a Wish in South Carolina is $7,500, these funds will grant wishes for 38 Wish Kids. To clarify the mission though, Make-A-Wish of South Carolina has a goal of granting 210 Wishes for 2020 so there’s much more work to do..

If you’d like to get involved, connect to your local chapter today. For South Carolina contact:

sc.wish.org/

Kea Wade: kwade@sc.wish.org

To donate miles:

sc.wish.org/miles

We here at Convergent Technologies would love to be your partner in change. In fact, we’re passionate about change for the better—change of state, change of mind, change of heart. 

Let’s make these changes together.

We’re an IT company with people in mind. Transformational IT Consulting. Data Science Services.

Wishes in Bloom 2019

Convergent Technologies is proud to say that Make-A-Wish South Carolina brought in the summer in such a beautiful way by hosting Wishes in Bloom  at the Magnolia Plantations & Gardens. As sponsor, we love to brag on this organization for the joy they bring into our community by granting life changing wishes to children battling critical illnesses.

The evening consisted of an unforgettable garden party where guests enjoyed cocktails and live music while bidding on auction items. To continue granting wishes for children, guests placed special bids on high-end items. The rest of the night consisted of attendees enjoying fine dining by some of the best chefs in the Lowcountry and dancing the night away!

We are excited to share with you that Wishes in Bloom  raised a record amount of more $170,000. With the funds raised, Make-A-Wish South Carolina will be able to grant over twenty-two wishes to children battling life-threatening conditions. As a community, we are grateful for the partners who believe in the Make-A-Wish mission and the unconditional support that enables them to change the lives of local wish kids.

The Flowers Are Blooming, and so Are the Wishes

With many events coming up this weekend, we cannot forget about Wishes in Bloom! This event is held to benefit the Make-A-Wish South Carolina organization. The unforgettable garden party takes place at Magnolia Plantations & Gardens where attendees celebrate the strength, hope, and joy created by a wish granted and help raise funds for more wish kids. Last year, Wishes in Bloom raised a record amount–over $95,000. These funds helped grant more than a dozen wishes for children battling life-threatening illnesses.

Last year’s event began around a beautiful scenic garden as guests enjoyed cocktails and live music. Throughout the evening, they placed bids on auction items, savored dishes from Charleston’s top chefs, and heard stories from kids whose wishes had been granted.

Convergent Technology is a proud sponsor of Make-A-Wish South Carolina. As a company, we support their mission to make every eligible child’s wish come true. Research has shown that a wish being granted can positively impact the rest of a child’s treatment journey. Emotionally and physically, this renewed strength aids in the fight against their critical illnesses. With over 200 wishes granted last year through Make-A-Wish South Carolina, we are excited to see the significant joy and impact they bring into our communities and families this year.

Make-A-Wish South Carolina

Make-A-Wish is a non-profit organization that grants wishes to children battling critical illnesses. This foundation allows each wish kid and their families to regain hope, strength, and joy as they face the future. As a sponsor of Make-A-Wish South Carolina this organization is held near and dear to the hearts of the Convergent Technology family. With over 200 wishes granted last year, we truly know how much this foundation brings communities together and impacts the lives of everyone involved. If interested in helping us in moving this mission forward, here is a link for donations.

 

Wishes in Bloom

We are excited to bring in the summer by supporting the Make-A-Wish Wishes in Bloom  event. The garden party is held in Charleston, South Carolina at the Magnolia Plantation & Gardens. A memorable night where the Lowcountry unites to raise awareness for the Make-A-Wish South Carolina mission.  This evening is in celebration of the strength and healing that comes from a wish granted and helps raise funds for more wish kids.

BATEMANIA!

Yesterday afternoon, the Clemson Police Department held their 25th Annual Golf Tournament at the Boscobel Golf Course in Pendleton, SC. This tournament had twenty-eight participants in groups of four and the winning team, “Batemania”, included: Derrik Henderson, Kyle Turner, Johnny Pope, and Scott Dancy. The tournament was sponsored by the Bateman Law Firm and helped raise money to benefit the Clemson Police Department’s charities. Glad our friends at the firm took home a win! #BATEMANIA

 

Rick Talks TED

If you’ve never attended a TEDx Greenville event, allow us to talk it up for a minute. It’s a day-long program of polished, yet unpretentious speakers—some from across the country, some from right here in the Upstate. Not convinced yet? These aren’t the kind of speakers that put you to sleep; they’re the kind that wake you up, make you think, make you want to do great things.

Every year, there’s a theme, but interpretations of it are anything but conformist. In addition to the powerful program, there are interactive exhibits all over the building; Vintage Atari games were a hit at our Convergent Technologies station. Sincere thanks to Katie Leckenbusch for her idea and assistance getting the booth together, and congratulations to TEDx Greenville organizer Russell Stall and his awesomely energetic crew of volunteers.

As proud sponsors of the conference, Convergent Technologies’ own crew enjoyed being behind the scenes. TED talks about technology, entertainment, and design. We’re taking it a few syllables further by saying it’s a community-minded, avant-garde approach to business, much like our own. If you think this is an idea worth sharing—or experiencing—pass this along on social media and visit tedxgreenville.com.

Make-A-Wish Blooms in Charleston

Save the Date: Wishes in Bloom, May 19, 2019  6:00 pm
Hosted at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens.

Don’t miss this unique evening of fine dining by Lowcountry chefs and profoundly moving wish experiences.  Share this opportunity to help raise funds to help create more wishes for children with critical illnesses.  For tickets click here.

Arts and Tech Converge as Gregson Takes the Stage at Warehouse Theatre

Rick Gregson, Founder and Senior Consultant at Convergent Technologies, took the stage at Greenville’s Warehouse Theatre Thursday night–well, technically, he was near the stage, and he definitely was not acting!

As an ardent fan and sponsor of Warehouse productions, Gregson and his associates were invited to preview the world premiere of “Power of Sail,” a riveting drama crafted by screenplay scribe and playwright Paul Grellong. Prior to the performance, Gregson joked about the irony of an IT specialist addressing an audience of theatre patrons. The owner of a company that specializes in data migration, his love for live performances began several years ago when he noticed the way shows engaged his children.

“At this point in my professional life, the technical pieces are relatively easy. It’s the human aspect you have to consider when you’re dealing with any type of transition a company and its people may be going through,”Gregson said. “In a roundabout way, the arts community in Greenville helped shape who I am as a person and what Convergent is as a company.”

Critics are calling “The Power of Sail” an unpretentious commentary on the battles of modern society. Gregson added to that, “I won’t give the plot away, but it’s got some controversial issues. It doesn’t take sides; it just makes us think–and it’s entertaining at the same time.”

“The Power of Sail” will be at the Warehouse Theatre through March 31. Show times and tickets are available at warehousetheatre.com.

 

2019 WISH BALL

Many thanks to Make-A-Wish SC for a fantastic time at the Wish Ball – an amazing event and fundraiser with moving stories of brave kids, their families and what can happen when wishes come true.  It’s a privilege to be a part of this mission.

Joining me were my children, Alleigh and Zachery Gregson, as well as Chase Campbell, DeAndre Wright, Spencer Mehr, and Anna Johnson.