An 11-year-old girl from Richmond is donating $500 to show her appreciation for health-care professionals from Richmond Hospital and “make the world feel better.”
To some, the $500 doesn’t sound like a lot of money, but each penny comes from love and support from the local community, according to Kylie Chan, who spent six months making soaps from scratch and selling them at Garry Point Park during weekends.
The whole idea started with Chan’s birthday gift — a soap kit — which she received in early March.
“The soap kit taught me how to make soap at home. And later in March, my idol and American actor Aaron Tveit got the virus. I wanted to figure out some ways to help the world and support the frontline workers,” said Chan.
To support Chan in achieving her dream, Chan’s parents took her to local craft supply stores to purchase raw materials to make natural homemade soap. Chan also put her words to actions by spending her weekends making soaps at home and later selling them at Garry Point Park each weekend.
“I try to make them into different shapes, such as star, heart and shells. And they all have various scents, from cherry blossom to roses,” said Chan.
Chan has not only received positive feedback and encouragement from the Steveston community but also her school teachers. Her school principal at Blair Elementary School was encouraged to put the fundraising idea into the school’s newsletter after hearing Chan’s journey.
“I would like to thank everybody for supporting me along the way. And my parents and school teachers who encourage me to go on,” said Chan.
Chan enjoyed making soaps to support frontline workers and now the kind gesture has become her hobby. She will continue this initiative until the pandemic is over.
