FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cornelius, N.C. – The Dienst Ideal Lifestyle Home 2008 is an English-inspired manor located in the heart of Charlotte. The $2,995,000 home is nearing completion in anticipation of the 4th Annual Make-A-Wish Gala that will be held there from 6:30 to 10 pm November 1, 2008. Guests will enjoy live music, live auction, raffle items and tours of the home with food stations throughout. The highlight of the evening will be the opportunity for guests to adopt wishes of four local children. Tickets are $100 and still available by calling (704) 892-8426.

The cost of granting wishes has doubled, with a trip to Disney World requiring 50,000 instead of 25,000 frequent flyer miles. Guests may adopt wishes in the live auction, which also includes a Champagne Hot Air Balloon Ride, a Decorate Your Home for the Holidays Package and a new Patio worth $4500. Another annual tradition at the Gala is a special live auction item -- a male Coton de Tulear 12-week-old puppy.

“This is the fourth year we’ve hosted the Gala and we’re committed to supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and Western North Carolina Foundation. Every member of the Dienst Custom Homes family believes in giving back to the community with our time, labor and resources,” said Jocelyn Dienst, founder and managing partner of Dienst Custom Homes. “Gala attendees will be the first to see the latest in green building technology and inspiring design.”

The food will be provided by Armin’s Catering and will be arranged throughout the home for guests to enjoy. Visit www.arminscatering.com to see photos from the event last year. The menu features the following:

• Grand Foyer - Sun dried Tomato and Parmesan pastry cups and Fried Risotto Balls filled with pepper jack cheese.
• Dining room - Pasta Station, with Penne Pasta, Bow Tie Pasta, Tortellini, and Ravioli served with Marinara, Alfredo, Pesto, and Mediterranean sauces.
• Kitchen Island - Mini Maryland Crab Cakes topped with fresh Remoulade sauce, hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip, accompanied by homemade flat breads, mushrooms stuffed with crab meat, and fresh vegetable crudités.
• Great Room - Carving station with Beef Tenderloin and Sliced Smoked Turkey accompanied by yeasts rolls, horseradish mayonnaise and honey mustard sauces.
• The Exercise Room - A gourmet coffee shop with a sinful delicacy of cakes, tortes, cookies, hot apple cider and gourmet coffees.

The past three galas have raised more than $200,000 for Make-A-Wish. Dienst hopes to top a quarter of a million dollars in donations with the additional dollars generated this year. Major sponsors include: Armin’s Catering; G&G Landscape and Irrigation; and Carolina Design Group and Unit Paving.

Located at 1320 Meadowood Lane in South Charlotte’s Broekhaven Estates neighborhood between Providence and Randolph Roads, the Ideal Lifestyle Home has five-bedrooms and five-and-one-half bathrooms. The exterior of the home is a distinguished combination of stucco, stone and cedar shake. The property contains an old well house, which Dienst is preserving as a natural design element. Once refurbished, the well house will provide storage space for pool equipment and outdoor furniture.

From the Signature Collection of the Carolina Design Group, Dienst selected the Chilmark plan, customizing it with the attention to detail for which Dienst Custom Homes is well known. Highlights include: a circular driveway; a custom mahogany entry door; American cherry floors with stone inlay in the foyer; scullery with lots of wine storage; Viking appliances; covered terrace with outdoor fireplace; a pool; and pool cabana. A glimpse into the kitchen reveals cherry floors, custom cabinetry, Caesarstone countertops and an elevated bar with a teak wood top. Warm chestnut bronze Premium Jeld-Wen windows will frame the perfect view.

Dienst Custom Homes has been a recognized leader in custom residential construction in the Charlotte area for more than 20 years and is set apart by their attention to detail, quality, design, structural integrity and cost effectiveness. Founded in 1986, Dienst Custom Homes employs a core of highly skilled subcontractors who work primarily for the company, enabling it to operate in the most cost-effective, quality-conscious and responsive manner. The company builds in many of the most prestigious neighborhoods in the Charlotte area. Additional information about Dienst Custom Homes is available at www.diensthomes.com.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is now the largest wish-granting organization in the world, with 66 chapters in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish every 40 minutes and has granted more than 167,000 wishes in the United States since inception.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and Western North Carolina serves 51 counties in North Carolina from Burlington (Alamance County) west, with regional offices in Charlotte, Asheville and Winston-Salem. The Foundation has granted over 2250 wishes since its inception in 1985 and has never turned down a wish for an eligible child. For more information, please visit www.ncwish.org or call 1-877-677-WISH.