A relief fund has been set up for members of the Iowa Lakes Community College Baseball team and their families. One player was killed and a dozen other players were hospitalized when a bus carrying the team and coaches crashed February 11.
Estherville Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lexie Ruter said the chamber has set up an account for donations and will send the money to the college to distribute. “There’s been lots of individuals and businesses that have wanted to donate fund directly to the families,” Ruter said, “but of course those of us on the outside don’t know how best to donate those funds or who to donate them to.”
Ruter indicated the money may be used to help cover families’ travel costs to get to the 12 players who were hospitalized or to attend the funeral for Carter Johnson, the 19-year-old outfielder who was killed in the crash. “We want to help with those unexpected costs,” Ruter said.
Johnson’s funeral was held Wednesday in Rapid City, South Dakota. There’s a link on the Iowa Lakes Community College website to make donations.
(By Ed Funston, KILR, Estherville)