YAKIMA — Nicholas Kline and his sisters, Cara and Michelle, had hoped to raise $2,000 this month in memory of their father, John A. Kline, who died of pancreatic cancer in August 2014.
But they’ve more than tripled their goal to $7,000 thanks to the generosity of customers at Yakima’s Shipping Shop — which Nicholas owns and runs with Cara — and donors as far as Portland, where Michelle lives.
They had raised $6,405.89 as of early Friday evening, Nicholas said. The siblings hit their $2,000 goal in the first five days of this month, which is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.
In its third year, the fundraiser benefits local hospice services. The Kline siblings, who presented a check to The Memorial Foundation for more than $1,500 last year, are amazed with the response this year.
“I would have never expected what we’ve been able to raise,” Nicholas said. Along with donations from their regular customers, “We’ve had complete strangers come in” and donate, he added.
The fundraiser also includes a raffle featuring 15 products or services donated by local businesses, including some from their neighbors in the Westpark Shopping Center.
Along with taking donations and selling raffle tickets, Nicholas and Cara are selling hats that Michelle knitted for $10. Their mom, Patricia, baked cookies that they sold when the fundraiser began.
She also makes blankets that she donates to Cottage in the Meadow, Nicholas said. Cottage is the hospice care facility operated by Virginia Mason Memorial.
John Kline, who owned Kline’s Painting, died at home in August 2014. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer seven months after he first started going to doctors with symptoms, and lived 13 months after that.
“It’s hard to detect,” Nicholas noted.
Cara, who wears a button with the words, “My dad is my hero,” said several people have shared stories of family members diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
“One woman came in to fax something and said her mom had been diagnosed 10 days earlier,” she added. “It’s really been a healing process for me, talking to families and hearing their stories.”
Their father would do anything for others, Nicholas and Cara said. That’s how they were raised, so they give back to various fundraisers through the year. This fundraiser goes far beyond that, though.
“This has been a really nice way for use to honor our dad,” Nicholas said.
