As a result of his 15th year of fundraising to spread positivity in his community, Peter J. Kareha, William Allen Class of 2002, has used his charity “Party for Poppa K” to raise $20,040 for The Lauren Pearl Halper Hospice Fund at Lehigh Valley Health Network.

Halper, also a graduate of William Allen, died of brain cancer in 2013.

Her brother, Alex, and Kareha became friends while attending Muhlenberg Elementary School.

Until 2016, “Party for Poppa K” raised money to help families of the hospice organization that assisted Kareha’s family when his dad died of cancer in 2004.

As that group expanded outside the Lehigh Valley, Kareha decided to focus his efforts on small, local nonprofits or community funds where he could make their year with a single donation and connect his mission of spreading positivity to the Allentown School District.

The Lauren Pearl Halper Hospice Fund brings “everyday joys” to patients near the end of their lives.

A local mother with several children had a dream of taking her kids to Dorney Park but could never afford it.

Using The Lauren Pearl Halper Hospice Fund, nurses at LVHN approached the Halper family with the opportunity and were able to pay for the family to visit Dorney for one day.

“After 12 years of doing this, my wife, Kate, and I thought, ‘What if we pick a new group every year and just gave them the biggest donation they’ve ever received,’” Kareha said.

“Lauren Halper was such a happy person and this $20,000 is going to allow her to keep sharing that with others.”

In 2017, Kareha raised $19,630 for Laughing At My Nightmare Inc. with the terms that founder, Shane Burcaw, would give assemblies at all Allentown School District middle schools.

As the beneficiary this year, LVHN has agreed to follow by talking to students about its Street Medicine Program.

The $20,000 was raised at an annual golf tournament in September at Olde Homestead Golf Club, New Tripoli, in honor of Kareha’s father, Poppa K.

With the help of corporate sponsors and individual donations that came in through October, Kareha advanced his mission to celebrate life and turn lemons into lemonade by supporting those who use positivity to help others in need.

Founded in 2004, PFPK is an annual golf tournament in memory of Dr. Michael J. Kareha, who passed away from cancer.

Its two-part mission is to bring people together to celebrate life and to serve as a reminder that “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

Proceeds from the tournament help support local nonprofit organizations that spread positivity.

Party for Poppa K has raised more than $100,000.