An Abbotsford boy whose birthday wish is to raise $9,000 for the Starfish Pack Program is one-third of the way there.
Chase, 6, has so far raised more than $3,000 for the cause, and is holding a fundraising event this Sunday, March 6 to boost that amount.
“Chase’s Lemonade Stand and Bottle Drive” runs from noon to 5 p.m. at Godson Elementary (33130 Bevan Ave.). Chase’s goal is to fill a four-litre jug with dimes.
The event includes a Guess the Beans contest and an appearance at 3 p.m. by the magician The Great Gordini. Empty bottles and cans can also be dropped off during the event.
In lieu of receiving gifts for his birthday on March 22, Chase initially set a goal to raise $50 for the Starfish Pack Program, which provides backpacks filled with food for school-aged kids to take home on the weekends.
The program currently serves 263 children in Abbotsford at a cost of $525 per child for a school year.
Chase and his mom, Eliza Miller, made a poster to promote his plan and posted it on Facebook. Within 48 hours, $534 had been collected, and Chase hiked his goal to $9,000 – enough to fill 17 backpacks.
The donations have continued to come in, and Miller said she and Chase are appreciative of all the support.
“Chase tells me every day how luck he is to have such amazing people on this Earth,” she said.
Donations are being accepted until March 31 at Play Abby (2043 Abbotsford Way), via PayPal at paypal.me/chasesbirthdaywish or by email transfer to elizaemberly@gmail.com.
For more information, visit “Chase’s Birthday Wish” on Facebook.
For more information about the Starfish Pack program, visit starfishpack.com.