KV Challenge - in its 35th year

by Wendy

The KV Challenge has become a long-standing tradition in the Hatboro-Horsham Pennsylvania community.

It all started 35 years ago in honor of Billy Whitehead, an 8th grader to died of a rare congenital heart defect during his 8th grade year at Keith Valley Middle School...

Students sponsored a hockey marathon and pledged to raise money on a yearly basis for St. Christopher's Hospital for Children.

Last year the 8th graders raised more than $39,000. To date they have raised more than $679,000 for numerous charities.

This year they are supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Keith Valley Challenge is now recognized as the single largest middle school fundraising event for Make-A-Wish in the world!

8th grade students will gather at 2pm one day in February where the "Challenge" will kick off with a celebrity welcoming the kids to the challenge and dropping the puck for the first round of the hockey marathon.

The students will play hockey games against each other throughout the night, concluding the Challenge at 7am the next morning.

The Challenge has previously seen celebrities the likes of Bobby Clarke, Bill Barber, Bernie Parent, Bob Froese, Joe Watson, Bob Daily, Bill Clement, Ed Van Impe and Gene Hart.

Don Tollefson has attended twice, and last year the Philly Phanatic made an appearance.

This year the kids are hoping to get Oprah Winfrey to show up. Hey, it doesn't hurt to ask!

I think one of the coolest things about the Challenge is how much students look forward to taking part in it.

As early as 5th grade, students start talking about how excited they are to be able to go to Keith Valley and eventually take part in the KV Challenge in their 8th grade year.

It's a huge event, and it's so amazing to see how willing the kids are to raise money for such an amazing charity!