Even in death, Mikiyas (Miki) Hatton乌鸦传媒檚 mission of bringing clean water to Ethiopia continues.
Since he was five years old, Miki fundraised to help people from Ethiopia, from where he was adopted, access clean drinking water. Those efforts were resurrected through a Capstone project with friend and fellow Salmon Arm Secondary Sullivan student Oriah Johnston. The two continued their efforts even after grad, and last year did a fundraising run, which Oriah is continuing this year.
乌鸦传媒淲e actually started this project together with Hope International in Grade 12, and we乌鸦传媒檝e been raising money for this agency since... And when Miki got in his accident, he was actually on his way to a fundraiser dinner that we go to every year in Calgary," she said of the initiative. "So that乌鸦传媒檚 the whole idea, to keep it going, but now it乌鸦传媒檚 sort of like a memorial, but it乌鸦传媒檚 also carrying on... Miki has been raising money for clean water for Ethiopia since he was five. That乌鸦传媒檚 how the idea came to us in Grade 12.乌鸦传媒�
After Miki died Nov. 1, 2024 from injuries sustained in vehicle crash, Oriah has partnered with his mom Sheri Doyle to do another run that will now be an annual Miki Memorial Walk and Run at McGuire Lake on Sunday, Aug. 24 at 9 a.m. Anyone who can't make it to McGuire can still donate, or participate wherever they are by registering on the website at , and "walk, run, or move however you move."
"It's hard to keep doing it without him," Oriah said. "But we乌鸦传媒檙e doing it at McGuire because Miki, his mom put in a stone for him... with his name on it and a little quote about him. So that乌鸦传媒檚 the whole point of doing it at McGuire is that we can go by the rock.乌鸦传媒�
Fundraising efforts this year are for a clean water system in Fera Gosa, Ethiopia after the success of last year's project, with a little extra help from Miki posthumously.
乌鸦传媒淏etween the fundraising we did last year... we started putting money towards a water system in Kencho, Ethiopia and for Miki乌鸦传媒檚 funeral, instead of flowers and stuff, they just wanted donations," Oriah said of Miki bringing it to fruition.
"So that water system actually got finished.乌鸦传媒�
