"We're still supporting them:" Brookfield Central H.S. students walk to benefit Hurricane Harvey victims

Walk to benefit Harvey victims

MILWAUKEE -- More than 1,000 high schoolers in Brookfield walked a mile Friday, September 8th in a show of support for Hurricane Harvey victims. And the impact will be felt all the way down in Texas.

"We're still supporting them," said Gene Lee, senior.

Brookfield Central High School sponsoring a walk to benefit Hurricane Harvey victims

They are 11 hundred miles away from Houston -- but Brookfield Central High School students want to show they care.

"We're still there for them. We obviously don't have the problems of hurricanes here, we're so lucky, so we wanted to reach out," said Lee.

The high school's Key Club organized the mile-long walk for Hurricane Harvey victims with the help of their advisor.

"When something like this happens, sometimes people feel helpless, like 'what can I, in Wisconsin, do to help people down in Texas,'" said Ronn Blaha, math teacher and advisor for Key Club.

The entire student body participated. Many students wore green -- the color for awareness of natural disasters. Students and staff were encouraged to donate, too.

Brookfield Central High School sponsoring a walk to benefit Hurricane Harvey victims

The funds will go to the JJ Watt Foundation -- which has raised more than $27 million for Harvey victims.

Following Hurricane Katrina, Brookfield Central raised more than $5,000. The goal today is $10,000.

"Before school, we had our Key Club members around the school with buckets, and I think just one bucket collected $200 or $300 dollars," said Sophia Sun, senior.

Sophia Sun has friends in Texas, so organizing the walk and seeing her peers turn out means a lot.

"It is great to see that people that might not actually have connections in Texas, they still care about the people in Texas," said Sun.

Brookfield Central High School sponsoring a walk to benefit Hurricane Harvey victims

If you would like to contribute, you can drop off a donation, or mail it, to Brookfield Central High School.

The students are also considering another fundraising effort to help the victims of Hurricane Irma.