Dan Kroffat has a birthday wish — and if the community rallies behind it, he’s confident it can come true.
The Hearts in Motion campaign is now in full swing, with residents encouraged to hold garage sales, bottle drives, and take other initiatives to put the fundraising campaign over the top to provide robotic legs for three-year-old Brielle.
Funds collected can then be brought to a giant celebration planned for June 14 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Cochrane Toyota, which will include a barbecue, silent auction, and a chance to win a door prize.
"As the donations roll in, we'll start to fill in the barometer and watch the funds grow," said Kroffat.
Kroffat stated that the campaign’s goal is to raise $36,000, contributing to a total target of $43,000. So far, $7,000 has been raised.

“Yes, we have a ways to go, but I believe this community can do this,” said Kroffat.
“I think this is one of the most compelling stories in my 55 years of volunteerism I’ve ever been involved in. And Michelle, this is all about you and Brielle,” he said, turning to them. “We as a community are going to rally behind you.”
Kroffat added that any funds raised beyond the $36,000 target will go to help others in need.
As it turns out, it's Kroffat's birthday on June 14 — the same day as Donald Trump's — but we won't hold that against Dan.
"I know I'll be here, and I'm turning 80. It took a long time to get here, but I can't think of a better birthday present at 80 years old than to see the success of this campaign. So, my hopes are you'll make me happy on my birthday. Thank you."

Among those attending the press conference were volunteers Bill Gibbons and Chuck Collins. Gibbons said he plans to help spread the word throughout the seniors community.
“We’re a strong group of people, and we’re going to help make this happen,” he said.
Kroffat also praised Dawn Paterson, general manager of Original Joe’s Cochrane, who was in attendance, for leading an ongoing bottle drive in support of Brielle.
He said Cochrane Toyota, Safeway, MLA Peter Guthrie and Mayor Jeff Genung have all thrown their support behind the campaign, and many others are stepping forward.
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Michelle and Brielle were joined by their good friend Amanda Burritt and her soon-to-be six-year-old daughter, Emma. Amanda has previously organized a similar fundraiser to support the purchase of robotic legs for Emma.
"We raised the money in three months, and Michelle was actually one of Emma's biggest fans," said Amanda. "She supported us throughout our fundraising."
"It's been life-changing for our whole family, and Emma loves it. It gives her a sense of normalcy. It gives our family a sense of normalcy. Her little sister gets to walk next to her, we get to walk with her, and it's something she uses daily."
They also have a treadmill for it, and overall, it helps with her strength and her sleeping patterns.
Michelle thanks the community for the incredible support.
"Every day, I get messages from people who say they want to help, and it has just become so much bigger than I expected," said Michelle. "I'm really thankful to everyone for helping us out."
Michelle also has a SupportNow page established to collect cash donations -- Support Brielle's Journey | SupportNow.org