SHAWANO (NBC 26) — UPDATE:
Less than two weeks after the tragic death of a five-year-old girl at a mini golf course in Shawano, the community is stepping up, raising money for the girl's family.
On Friday at Bullfrogs & Butterflies Child Care Center, people gathered for a community cookout and raffle– one with a much larger meaning.
"It’s very emotional," Matti Koehler, a local resident who helped run the fundraising event, said. "They’re showing up to help out, to give back to this family that had a tragic loss.”
WATCH THE BROADCAST STORY HERE:
On July 1, five-year-old, Charlotte Johnson died at a local mini golf course.
Koehler was a paraprofessional at Charlotte’s school.
“She had a really good personality," she said. "I’d always get a hug from her during the day, and she gave the best hugs.”
Friday's fundraiser was meant to show support for the Johnson family.
“You can’t bring her back, but at least they know that they’re supported and they’re loved," Jamie Papp, the owner of Bullfrogs & Butterflies, said.
Popp helped organize the event, which included hot dogs, burgers and baked goods for sale, as well as a raffle with gift boxes donated by the community.
“I can’t imagine losing a child," Popp said. "I feel for the business as well, because if something were to happen to a child here at our center, I can’t imagine what they are going through.”
On the same day as the fundraiser, the mini golf course where Charlotte died, Shawano Mini Golf, reopened for the first time.
The owner of the course, Dusty DeLorme, did not wish to go on camera, but posted to Facebook about his decision to reopen.
"What happened at our mini golf course is something I never could have imagined, and it’s something that will stay with me forever," he wrote in the post. "My heart continues to break for that child, her family, and everyone who has been affected. Please continue to pray for that sweet little girl’s family. They continue to carry a burden that no family should ever have to bear. I want to make it clear that not a single thing about us reopening means we’ve forgotten what happened or that we’re taking it lightly."
DeLorme said this is his first season open– they had been operating less than a month when Charlotte died.
The Shawano Police Chief said they have no new information to release in this investigation.
(Previous reporting)
The Shawano community is banding together to support a family who lost their 5-year-old daughter earlier this month.
Charlotte Johnson of Richmond died July 1.
Today, Bullfrogs and Butterflies, a local child care center, is supporting the Johnson family by holding a fundraising event at 201 Eberlein Park Drive. The event ends at 5:30 p.m.
NBC 26’s Claire Peterson will have more on this story later.
