Skyview High School seniors Kahlia Richman and Owen Madden have dedicated months to raising funds to grant life-changing wishes for children facing critical illnesses.
Their latest effort is a two-day clothing drive and thrift shop from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, and Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Hillcrest Church of the Nazarene, 14410 NW 21st Ave. in Vancouver. All proceeds benefit Make-A-Wish Oregon. This organization grants life-changing wishes to children with terminal illnesses.
Attendees can pay $10 to fill a provided bag with as many donated items as they can fit. The event offers a variety of gently used clothing, shoes, towels, blankets and accessories for men, women, teens, children and infants. Every dollar raised will go directly to Make-A-Wish Oregon. Kahlia’s mother, Jennifer Richman, highlighted the duo’s hard work, noting that the two students have entirely organized the event.
“I think it’s just important as a community to give back to others who are in a time of need. This is a beautiful way of doing it — having the kids give to kids,” Jennifer Richman said. “It just seems really important, and I think the kids are learning a lot from it.”
Kahlia and Owen have been fundraising since October as part of the Mr. and Ms. Skyview pageant, a six-month-long initiative where Skyview High School seniors pair up to raise money for Make-A-Wish and participate in a final pageant in March. To date, 21 pairs of students have collectively raised $64,414 toward the school’s $80,000 goal.
The duo’s past fundraising efforts have included a breakfast event at Applebee’s, yard work services in exchange for donations and a “flocking fundraiser,” which involved placing pink flamingos and celebratory signs in lawns for a suggested $40 donation. The flocking campaign has been the pair’s most successful initiative so far, generating the majority of their $7,650 contribution.
“This isn’t just about the pageant,” Jennifer Richman emphasized. “The goal is to make sure that we have the funds available so that a kid’s wish can come true. The kids are learning so much through these efforts — leadership, teamwork and the importance of helping others.”
Both Kahlia and Owen are actively involved in their school and community. Kahlia, a cheerleader and member of Skyview’s Associated Student Body, has a longstanding passion for giving back and participating in unified sports and other volunteer initiatives.
“Owen and Kahlia have been friends for years,” Jennifer added. “They’re both seniors, and [our] families have always valued community involvement. It’s inspiring to see them take on such a meaningful project together.”
The pair have worked tirelessly to prepare for the clothing drive, contacting local organizations, friends and family for donations. So far, they’ve collected over 600 bags of clothing, all of which have been cleaned, sorted and organized for the event. Items include prom dresses, suits, shoes, towels and blankets for people of all sizes.
Leftover items will be collected by clothes4cash, a partnering organization that will weigh the unsold donations and provide funds based on their total weight for Make-A-Wish Oregon.
Jennifer Richman encourages the community to attend the clothing drive, spread the word and consider donating.
“It’s exciting that they’re raising so much money for Make-A-Wish, and I’d like to see people come out and say hello to them,” she said. “This program is especially meaningful because it … teaches them compassion and the power of community.”
Donations for the clothing drive will be accepted from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6, at the church. Arrangements for porch pickups or drop-offs can be made by contacting 360-904-4334.
For more information, or to donate online, visit https://shorturl.at/5evRR.