Fundraiser in honor of missing Bend kayaker to raise money for Rwandan children
Event is Friday from 6-8 p.m. at Silver Moon Brewing
(Update: Adding video, comments from fundraiser organizer, details)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A fundraiser in honor of Alex Kollar, the Bend kayaker who went missing on the Deschutes River a few months ago, will take place this Friday, raising money for a cause close to his heart.
Sara Pascal, a friend and former coworker of Alex, organized the fundraiser.
“Alex -- no matter how small the encounter, he just made you feel really special and seen,” Pascal said Wednesday.
When Pascal heard the news about Kollar, it was hard for her to believe.
“To have someone that’s so full of life, hard to wrap your head around even the smallest possibility that they couldn’t be here anymore,” Pascal said.
Pascal says she first met Kollar while working with him at the Mt. Bachelor rental shop in 2015.
She immediately noticed his infectious smile and bright personality.
“His excitement was just so wonderful to be around,” Pascal said.
She said Kollar loved getting out into nature, and his friends would describe him as the “ultimate stoke man.”
“Always had so much stoke going out into the backcountry, mountain biking, kayaking, hang gliding, all of it,” Kollar said.
Losing his brother, Phillip, to a car crash when he was young, made him appreciate the life around him.
"So Alex really understood the fragility of life, and really understood how precious it was,” Pascal said.
Kollar’s appreciation took another leap in 2011.
“Something I think changed Alex -- when he went over to Rwanda,” Kollar said.
On Kollar's trips to Rwanda, he was blown away by the people’s lack of resources, and he left with a larger appreciation for food, the environment and people.
In his memory, Kollar’s mom started a GoFundMe account and page in his name for the Kefa Project, which will purchase land and equipment in Rwanda, and help teach locals how to farm and grow food sustainably.
Pascal has organized a series of fundraiser events, including silent auctions and raffles.
“And I want to help Alex,” Pascal said. “Alex wanted to help my future children, you know -- he wanted to make Bend a better place, the world a better place. And I feel like the least I could do is try to raise a little bit of awareness for his GoFundMe and make Alex’s dream come true, especially for those Rwandan people.”
The next fundraiser is Friday at Silver Moon Brewing, and Pascal knows if Kollar could be there he would be having as good a time as anyone.
“I think he would be dancing, smiling and wanting to give everyone a giant hug and would just love it just give high fives and, just pure stoke -- yeah pure stoke,” Pascal said.
The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office confirmed to NewsChannel 21 Wednesday that it has used drones, water rescue teams and every possible resource, but still has not found Kollars's body.
The fundraiser on Friday will be from 6-8 p.m., with $1 of every beer purchase going to the Alex Kollar Memorial Fundraiser.
The raffles and auctions will include art, clothes and other swag from local businesses.
Pascal said she'd like to thank the following businesses and groups for either donating or being a sponsor:
Pete Alport Photography
Jesse Polay Photography
Red Point Climbing
Jonny Sischo with Oregrown and Tiny Shed Wood Goods
Outside in Bend
HydroFlask via Kyla Zager
Silver Moon Brewing
Cushcore
Circuit Gym
Cardiff Snow Series
Bend Rock Gym
Phantom Snow Industries
Food For Sole
Rhinoskins Skin Solutions
Jon Tapper Photgraphy
Saucefly via Sara Rose
Ikorabit Art via Megan Stumpfig
Bend Film via Todd Looby
Mt Bachelor
Colton Jacobs Photography
Stratton Matteson
Seams Like Sunshine via Becky McCoy
Sparrow Bakery
El sancho
Anna Vacca
Niche Snowboards via Kelli Whittman
Christian Murillo Photogtaphy
Hand Made Rwanda Bags by Kefa Womens Co-op
Light my Fire
Ladies All Ride
Freds Hot Sauce
Tumalo Creek and Kayak
The Kefa Project
Alex Kollar Media via Ruthanne Adams
Austin Sandford
Bronwen Jewelry
