After learning of the shooting that impacted his classmate, Nelson Ortiz, who will be a senior at Crete High School this fall, felt compelled to do something.
A shooting that left seven injured ranging from ages three to 43 left a Crete family facing many unknowns and new fears.
“I know William,” Ortiz said. “We went to high school together. I have played soccer with him and we worked together at Runza, but what I am doing is not so much about the bond I have with him but more about it being the right thing to do.”
Since Friday, June 28, Ortiz has not been able to stop thinking about what if this had happened to his own family and how he would want the community to help him and his own family.
“What if this person did this to my family? How would I want the community to help me and my family?” Ortiz said. “Put yourself in their shoes. Your home is supposed to be their safe place and just imagine that your family and children are threatened.”
From there, Ortiz reached out to the shooting victim’s family, and with their permission, began a Go Fund me page with a financial goal of $25,000 to help with the family’s medical expenses.
“This fundraiser is being made to help out with this family's medical expenses as I believe, and I'm sure many people can agree that the innocent family should not have to face out-of-pocket expenses for an incident that was not their fault,” Ortiz said on the donation page. “It is a sad reality that to this day, racism is still circling around this world and that someone could have such hate to do the amount of damages that were caused yesterday evening.
“A lot of people have been wondering how to help out the family as they have remained anonymous and we respect their privacy.”
Go Fund Me does collect a portion of the donations to fund its website, but allows donations to be made electronically. Local cash and check donation options are available as well through Crete Cares, a local ministry for community assistance during personal emergencies. It is also helping to facilitate donations at Pinnacle Bank in Crete.
Donations should be designated as Crete Cares - shooting victims.
“If people want to help the victims, they can drop off a check at Pinnacle Bank and we will make sure they get it,” Pastor Brent Braunberger said. “Many of the local churches are taking up offerings for the family, but some might not be connected to a local church.”
Crete Cares allows a unified point of contact to receive help during times of struggle, which can include food, utility and emergency assistance. Participating churches include First Congregational UCC, Radiant Springs Church, Crete Berean, Grace Methodist Church, Saint James Catholic Church, Plymouth UCC, Ministerios "Dios Es Amor" and founding church Bethlehem Lutheran.
