Deadline to apply for Waukesha parade tragedy fund nears

 

WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- If you were affected by the Waukesha Christmas Parade tragedy, the deadline for funds is Monday, February 28.

While the Waukesha County Community Foundation always welcomes more donors, it is actually putting the call out for more people to apply to receive money. CBS 58’s Bill Walsh spoke with Melissa Baxter, President of the Waukesha County Community Foundation, about who is eligible.

"Many people are eligible to apply. The families of those six people who died in the tragedy, people who were hospitalized as a result, people who were treated outpatient. And also, people present at the parade and first responders," Baxter said.

Baxter says the foundation is encouraging people to apply, she says many are reluctant because they think other people need the money more.

"I’ve heard that so many times. People say, ‘somebody else needs it more than I do.' But there’s 15,000 people, donors, who gave money, who went online everything from $25 donations to thousands of dollars. They were thinking of everyone who was there, they wanted to extend that help... and the disbursements that will come from the fund are not reimbursements, they are a gift. They are a gift from those 15,000 people and organizations to those impacted by this terrible event."

With donations from all 50 states, and 17 other countries, Baxter says the response to the Christmas parade tragedy is inspirational.

"I think we think about things that divide us, and something like this, people coming together to help-- it really shows us we really are united. People want their neighbors to be okay," she said.

The fund has raised almost $5.7 million, and nearly $1 million of that has been sent out to the families of the six people that died, and to people who were injured.

If you would still like to donate, or were impacted and want to apply for a gift, more information can be found HERE.