Karoline25 campaign raising money in memory of slain PennWest student

The goal is to collect $10,000 in October for the One Love Foundation, which aims to prevent relationship abuse.

Purple ribbons, handwritten messages and the number 25 lined the sidelines of Peters Township High School’s field hockey game Monday as players and community members gathered to honor Karoline Heintz, an 18-year-old graduate whose life was cut short.

To her former teammates, Karoline was more than the No. 25 on her jersey. She was the friend who could make them laugh through difficult practices, the teammate who always showed up with a smile and someone who made those around her feel loved.

In the wake of her death, the team is turning its grief into action through a month-long fundraising and awareness campaign benefiting the One Love Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing relationship abuse through education.

Heintz, a 2026 Peters Township High School graduate who was preparing to begin her freshman year at PennWest California, was found stabbed to death inside her vehicle near the university’s campus Aug. 20.

Her boyfriend, Royce Moser, 18, of North Strabane Township, was charged with homicide in connection with her death. His mother, Rachel Moser, also faces charges, including hindering apprehension and tampering with evidence, for allegedly helping her son conceal evidence, according to Pennsylvania State Police.

The campaign, called Karoline25, aims to raise $10,000 throughout October while encouraging young people to recognize the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships.

As of Friday, the fundraiser had collected $5,887 toward that goal, with proceeds benefiting the One Love Foundation and its efforts to educate young people about healthy and unhealthy relationship behaviors.

The effort began Monday during the team’s Relationship Abuse Awareness Game, where players wore shirts bearing Karoline’s name and jersey number and purple ribbons decorated the field.

Along the sidelines, a display reading “For Karoline, I Choose…” invited students and community members to share messages about the values they believe should define healthy relationships.

Handwritten notes emphasized kindness, respect, honesty and strength, while other signs displayed messages including “Stop the Violence, End the Silence” and “Not All Wounds Are Visible.”

Another display highlighted “25 Signs of Healthy Love,” connecting the number Karoline wore on the field to lessons about trust, communication, boundaries and mutual respect.

For senior captain Ceci Reyes, the campaign is about making sure Karoline is remembered for the person she was.

“To us, this fundraiser means keeping Kar’s light shining,” Reyes said. “She is not defined by what happened to her, and we want to continue to share her story while also giving others the resources to foster healthy relationships in their own lives.”

Reyes remembers a teammate whose positivity could change the mood of an entire practice.

“Kar was one of the best people I’ve ever known. She truly worked hard and loved doing what she did,” Reyes said. “Whether it was conditioning with us in the offseason or always having a smile and making us laugh during hard practices, she made it almost impossible not to see the good in life.”

Their friendship extended beyond field hockey.

“Not only getting to play with Kar, but also being her friend outside of the team, was one of the greatest blessings,” Reyes said. “Kar truly cared about everyone in her life and made you feel so loved no matter what.”

Senior captain Lily Rose remembers Karoline much the same way.

“Karoline was not just a teammate, but she was like a sister,” Rose said. “Field hockey wasn’t her main sport, but nobody could ever tell. She always wanted to be at practice and always had something to say to bring the mood up if we were feeling down.”

Rose said Karoline had an unusual way of making others laugh.

“The only time I ever saw Karoline frown was when she was forcing herself to make one of us laugh,” she said. “Her smile was contagious to everyone around her. Karoline was one of my favorite people to be around on and off the field.”

A member of the Peters Township High School Class of 2026, Karoline had been preparing for a future that combined her love of athletics with her desire to help others.

She planned to attend Penn-West California, where she would major in biology and continue her soccer career as a member of the university’s women’s team.

She had also been pre-accepted to Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, where she hoped to pursue her dream of becoming a physician after completing her undergraduate degree.

Karoline was a dedicated member of Victory Club soccer and the Peters Township field hockey program, but her interests extended well beyond athletics.

She loved animals, especially her cat, Skyler, along with sunsets, beaches, soft blankets and fresh-cut flowers. She enjoyed traveling, attending concerts and spending time with family and friends, including quiet game nights at home.

Those ordinary moments and the friendships she built are what her teammates say they will remember most.

On the team’s fundraising page, players described Karoline as a sister, teammate and friend who was always ready to support the people around her.

“She was the kind of friend and teammate you could always count on and someone who was always there for you, always in your corner, and always ready to cheer you on,” the team wrote.

They also pledged to continue sharing her story. “We will carry her memory with us always and tell the world about the kind of friend and person she was: her beautiful spirit, gentle heart, contagious smile, and the love she gave so freely,” the message reads.

The Karoline25 campaign is designed to carry that spirit into the community while supporting the One Love Foundation.

The national nonprofit works to prevent relationship abuse by teaching young people how to identify healthy and unhealthy relationship behaviors and giving them tools to build safer relationships.

As part of the campaign, the team is encouraging a “25 for 25” challenge, inviting supporters to contribute $25 in recognition of Karoline’s jersey number.

Donations of any amount are welcome, and the fundraising effort will continue throughout October.

For Rose, the support surrounding the campaign has reinforced how deeply Karoline touched the lives of those around her.

“This effort means so much to the team because it shows all of us how much support we have,” Rose said. “It also shows us just how much everyone wants her light to shine through the darkness, helping people learn what healthy relationships should look like while showing that she is not defined by what happened to her.”

To support the Karoline25 campaign, visit https://give. joinonelove.org/team/854373. Donations benefit the One Love Foundation and its relationship abuse prevention education programs.