In what the nonprofit organization called a “solemn milestone” on its Facebook page, Raise for Rowyn announced it had helped the family of “our 700th angel” in a Jan. 27 post.
“While each angel's presence in our hearts weighs heavy, we're humbled to stand ready to embrace and assist every family in need,” the post stated. “Our commitment to honoring their legacies and supporting their loved ones remains unwavering. Together, we continue to strive for solace and strength, one angel at a time.”
Based in Tenino, Raise for Rowyn was founded in 2015 after 17-month-old Rowyn Johnson was tragically lost in an incident in her family’s driveway the year before. The organization is dedicated to assisting families who have lost a child with both funeral costs and emotional support.
The Chronicle reached out to Raise For Rowyn Executive Director Fionna Velazquez to talk about the organization’s work.
“We help anybody who’s lost a child in a live birth. Unfortunately, we can’t help with miscarriages or stillbirths because there are so many and we would run out of funds,” Velazquez said.
Families with children who survive birth but die through other circumstances are also eligible for Raise for Rowyn aid.
Raise for Rowyn now has chapters in California and Arizona as well, and the 700 families who have been helped span across the nation, though currently they are focusing on families west of the Mississippi River, Velazquez stated.
“(The 700th) was located here in Washington,” Velazquez added.
She also announced the nonprofit’s “Dusk in the Desert Oasis” gala and auction fundraiser will be taking place at the Great Wolf Lodge — located at 20500 Old Highway 99 in Grand Mound — on April 20, a day before Rowyn’s birthday.
“We plan it as close to Rowyn’s birthday as possible. Rowyn would be turning 11 this year on April 19,” Velazquez said.
She said though the gala and auction are usually held in Tenino, the Great Wolf Lodge was chosen due to its accessibility to both Lewis and Thurston county residents, who make up the bulk of the nonprofit’s donors.
Additionally, this year’s guests of honor will be Kyle and Kara Markstrom, of Centralia, who tragically lost their son Noah to brain cancer at the age of 6 in 2019.
“Kyle will be our guest speaker, and he’s our newest board member actually,” Velazquez said.
Tickets to the gala cost $150 per person, or $1,200 for a table for eight guests.
To purchase tickets, purchase a sponsorship or donate an auction item, visit https://www.raise4rowyn.org/2024auction.
For more information including information on how to request assistance, visit https://www.raise4rowyn.org/.
