A Naples girl Make-A-Wish fundraiser is helping one local student turn gratitude into action. Chloe Seyer, an eighth grader at Oakridge Middle School in Naples, recently led a schoolwide Penny Wars campaign benefiting Make-A-Wish Southern Florida. For Chloe, the fundraiser was personal. When she was six years old, Make-A-Wish gave her the chance to be a princess for a day at Disney World. Now she wants other children to experience that same kind of joy, belonging, and hope.
Why did Chloe want to raise money for Make-A-Wish?
Chloe’s motivation came directly from her own experience. “I got a Make-A-Wish for myself, so I want to give back to the Make-A-Wish program,” she said.
That simple reason carried real weight. Chloe knows firsthand how meaningful it is when people show up for a child facing ongoing challenges. Her fundraiser was not just about collecting money. It was about paying forward something that changed her life.
How did this Naples student turn an idea into a schoolwide fundraiser?
Chloe began by presenting her idea to school administrators, who supported the plan. She then brought it to the National Junior Honor Society and secured volunteers to help collect donations in the courtyard each morning before school.
The fundraiser itself was designed to be fun and competitive. Chloe wanted something that would engage her classmates, and after considering several options, her assistant principal suggested Penny Wars.
That idea gave the school an easy way to participate while keeping the energy high.
How did Penny Wars work at Oakridge Middle School?
Students in grades six through eight competed for a dress-down day and a sweet treat. Pennies added positive points to a grade’s total, while higher-value coins and bills counted against that grade. A quarter, for example, was worth negative 25 points.
That meant students could help their own grade by adding pennies or sabotage another grade by dropping silver coins or dollar bills into a competitor’s box. The format made the fundraiser lively, strategic, and easy to understand.
- Pennies counted as positive points
- Silver coins and bills counted as negative points
- Students could boost their own grade or hurt another grade’s score
- The winning grade earned a dress-down day and a sweet treat
The campaign raised $1,086.13, with the eighth grade finishing on top.
What makes Chloe’s story so personal?
Her desire to help others is rooted in her own medical journey. Chloe had a stroke while still in utero, leaving the left side of her body weaker and smaller. She lives with pain and faces daily obstacles, including difficulty climbing stairs. She cannot compete in sports and has other limitations.
Even so, her mother, Megan Seyer, says Chloe meets life with unusual strength and kindness. “We are so blessed,” she said. “Is she in pain all the time? Yes. Is she a fighter and is she strong? Yes. I have the most kind-hearted, beautiful girl that I could not be more proud of.”
That combination of resilience and compassion is what gives Chloe’s fundraiser its heart.
What did Make-A-Wish mean to Chloe and her family?
The Make-A-Wish experience left a lasting impression on the entire Seyer family. Chloe was granted a wish to be a princess for a day at Disney World, and the family stayed at the organization’s village in Orlando, where they were surrounded by entertainment, gifts, and thoughtful touches.
For Chloe’s mother, the experience offered something every parent hopes for: joy and relief in the middle of something hard. “Her life is so challenging — you just want some sense of normalcy, some happiness,” Seyer said. “It was a blessing to see her smile and feel accepted.”
Chloe still remembers specific details. “The thing I really remember was the Make-A-Wish Village,” she said. “One of my favorite parts was the carousel. There is a lunchroom. There is a salon there. There is also an ice cream store. There is a place to put your wishes. I can see my wish. It is still there.”
How did leading the fundraiser change Chloe?
Beyond the money raised, Chloe said organizing the campaign helped her grow. Leading a schoolwide effort meant speaking to administrators, recruiting volunteers, and stepping into visible leadership roles that felt intimidating at first.
She said it was nerve-racking to present the idea to the National Junior Honor Society and even more daunting to appear on the school news and address the student body. Still, she did it.
“I had to figure out what to do, and use my resources and learn how to be a leader,” Chloe explained. “It was really a boost in confidence.”
What can other parents and students learn from Chloe’s example?
For families in Collier and Lee Counties, Chloe’s story is a reminder that kids do not have to wait until adulthood to make a meaningful difference. A school fundraiser, a service project, or one well-supported idea can teach leadership, empathy, and courage all at once.
It also shows what can happen when adults take a young person’s idea seriously. Chloe had the vision, but school administrators, faculty, and student volunteers helped turn that vision into something real.
- Listen when your child wants to help others
- Encourage projects that connect service with personal meaning
- Support opportunities for students to speak, lead, and organize
- Show kids that even small donations can add up to real impact
What happens when a wish becomes a purpose?
In March, Chloe presented the funds she raised at a local Make-A-Wish gala, where she also gave a speech. There, she shared more of her story and explained what the organization has meant to her life.
“I explained my whole life experience with having my stroke. At the end I said how much Make-A-Wish helps my life and how I feel more special in a good way. It is hard when you have a disability, but when you see people that have your back and make you feel like you belong, it makes you feel really good.”
That is what makes Chloe more than a fundraiser organizer or a middle school student with a good idea. She is a young person who received kindness, remembered it, and decided to pass it on. That is a princess with a purpose.
Why does this story matter for Naples families?
Stories like Chloe’s matter because they show the best of a community. They remind us that children can lead, schools can rally, and personal hardship can be transformed into generosity.
For parents raising children with disabilities or medical challenges, Chloe’s story may also feel especially meaningful. Her experience reflects both the daily reality of living with limitations and the deep importance of being seen, celebrated, and included. Families looking for local support can explore special needs resources for Collier and Lee families and more special needs articles for Southwest Florida families.
And for families hoping to raise kids who give back, Neapolitan Family offers more ideas through stories about teen volunteerism and charity events in Collier County, and tips on how to choose the best volunteer activities for your family..