Nicola Chmelir is collecting supplies and donations for her Eagle Scout project Thursdays through August at the Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market in Hawthorne Park in Medford. 

After hearing about foster children in Oregon having to stow their belongings in trash bags while traveling from home to home, Medford resident Nicola Chmelir, 17, started searching for solutions.

Chmelir, a member of Boy Scouts of America Troop 8033, has spent the last couple months collecting donations, duffel bags and necessities from the community to give away to foster kids in need, as part of her Eagle Scout project.

The Eagle Scout badge is the highest scouting achievement, with only about 4% of Scouts earning the honor.

“My goal is to collect enough goods to put together travel bags for 150 kids,” Chmelir said. “I’ve been blessed with a fortunate upbringing, and it’s important to give back to those who are less fortunate.”

Since June, she’s been setting up at the Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market on Thursdays in Hawthorne Park in Medford to spread the word and collect donations.

“I’ll be at the growers market every Thursday (through August) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” Chmelir said. “We’re taking both monetary and material donations.”

Material donations include items such as duffel bags, books, card games, blankets, pillow cases, stuffed animals, flashlights, dental kits and Walgreens gift cards, she added.

“Every cent counts and helps out a lot,” she said.

Chmelir is $15,000 short on her project goal of reaching 150 bags.

“We’ve raised about $700 to $800 and tons of material donations, but it’s not too close to our goal,” she said.

She’s reached out to companies such as REI, Costco and Nike to see if they’ll help donate to the cause and is waiting to hear back from them.

“I’m going to the [Rotary Club of Medford] next week to ask for donations, as well,” Chmelir said.

The motivation to focus on aiding Oregon’s foster kids came from an article sent to Chmelir from her grandfather.

“This article was talking about and interviewing foster care kids, and how they have to carry all their belongings in trash bags and felt worthless,” she said.

Oregon lawmakers signed Senate Bill 548 into law in June, which requires the state to give foster children luggage when they have to move, but there’s still progress to be made.

The first place Chmelir reached out to for help at the local level was Medford’s Family Nurturing Center, a local family support agency.

“They’re a great organization, so I reached out to them and had a meeting with [development coordinator] Desirae Anthony,” Chmelir said. “I’m a part of the Rotary Interact Club at my school, and through that I met Desirae Anthony at the Family Nurturing Center.”

The two worked together to come up with a list of necessities that the foster children need and want, Chmelir added.

She’s been a Scout since eighth grade, when her favorite teacher, Gina Higgins, recommended that she join.

“It was definitely Ms. Higgins that pushed me into it, and I’ve stuck ever since,” Chmelir said. “All of my best friends have done it as well.”

Now as a rising senior at St. Mary’s School, she’s one step away from becoming an Eagle Scout.

The people are Chmelir’s favorite part of Scouts, including her troop leader, Tina August, she said.

“She is probably the most fun and outgoing person I’ve ever met,” Chmelir said.

People looking to help Chmelir, but who can’t meet her at the growers market, can email her at nicolachmelir@gmail.com.