Jr. High students in Ontario raise money for Cataract family affected by tragic house fire

ONTARIO, Wis. (WKBT) – Students in the small community of Ontario are doing what they can to help the Cataract parents who lost four young children in a house fire.

Junior high students at Brookwood Jr/Sr High School raised money for the Coats family by selling concessions and holding an Ice Bucket Challenge.

“They’re a very great group of kids that work hard and they’re always thinking of other people,” said Jeanine Brieske, a Social Studies teacher at the school and the advisor to the Jr. High Student Council, the group that organized the fundraiser.

Ten teachers and staff volunteered.

At an assembly on Thursday, the last day of school, the top three teachers and staff who raised $50 got a surprise dump of water.

The students have no connection to the Coats family, but wanted to do something to help.

“We just want people to know that even if you’re far away, and we don’t know them, we still need to help people in need,” said 7th grader Miranda Arndt.

Between concessions and the Ice Bucket Challenge money, the students raised more than $500.

If you would like to help the Coats family, there is still a Gofundme page active where anyone can donate.

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