Fans collecting donations for vets

Bend Oregon Raider Nation, a local group of fans of the Oakland Raiders football team, will be collecting donations for Central Oregon Veterans Outreach.

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Newport Avenue Market parking lot at 1121 N.W. Newport Ave., Bend. Community members are invited to stop by and drop off needed gear.

According to a news release about the event, COVO has requested the following items: one- to two-person tents, 8-foot by 12-foot tarps, backpacks, sleeping bags, small propane canisters, one-burner stoves, p-38 can openers, and five- to six-gallon water containers.

Mini PPP logo contest underway

The Mini Pole Pedal Paddle T-Shirt contest is currently underway in advance of the May 18 kids’ race that is a companion to the regular PPP.

Kids in first through sixth grade are encouraged to submit designs that depict activities in the race: rafting, running, navigating an obstacle course and bicycling.

Entries must be submitted in color on white paper.

Designs must include the following information:

• U.S. Bank Kid’s Mini Pole Pedal Paddle

• Bend, Oregon

• 2014

• The letters MBSEF somewhere on the artwork

• The artist’s signature

On the back of the design, please be sure to include the artist’s name, age, grade, teacher, school, home phone number and email address. Entries must be delivered or mailed to the Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation, 563 S.W. 13th St., Suite 201, Bend, OR, 97702 by 5 p.m. Feb. 14.

Awards will be given to the top five finishers. For more information, contact Molly Cogswell-Kelley at 541-388-0002 or molly@mbsef.org.

Make-A-Wish Radiothon starts

The Horizon Broadcasting Group and Make-A-Wish Oregon are teaming up Feb. 27-28 to raise money for local children with life-threatening medical conditions.

The Make-A-Wish Radiothon will be broadcast live from Subaru of Bend on 105.7 KQAK-FM, THE PEAK 104.1 and LITE 95.7 during the two-day event.

The Radiothon will feature inspirational wish stories from families, volunteers and local supporters.

Participants can call in to donate money or airline miles.

Organizers hope to raise $30,000 to make wishes come true for local children.

For more information, visit oregon.wish.org, email magic@orwish.org or contact 800-934-9474.

— From staff reports