Members of the Jefferson Elementary School community pose on Friday, Feb. 16 during the Happy Beans Coffee hour. From left in the back row are Winona Lake Police Department Sgt. Joe Bumbaugh, Jefferson Elementary Resource Teacher Rachel Jensen and Jefferson Elementary Principal Josh Wall. In the front row are Israel Gagnon, center, and two friends. Photo provided by Jefferson Elementary.

By Patrick Webb
InkFreeNews

WINONA LAKE — The fundraiser for Israel Gagnon finished Friday, Feb. 16 and passed the initial goal.

Fundraising started on Friday, Feb. 9, following Gagnon’s hospitalization for sepsis.   

According to Winona Lake Police Department Sgt. Joe Bumbaugh, the fundraiser “far exceeded anything imaginable.”

Organizers of the fundraiser hoped to raise $6,000 to cover the cost of a new wheelchair for Israel, and $3-4,000 for a bicycle. Bumbaugh said funds donated to the Israel Gagnon Fund at Lake City Bank, a GoFundMe fundraiser and from Happy Beans Coffee, a student-run coffeeshop in Jefferson Elementary School, raised $14,000.

“It’s going to take a huge burden off the (Gagnon) family monetarily,” said Bumbaugh. “I can’t thank the community enough. It shows what a wonderful community we live in.”

Warsaw Police officers purchased drinks from Rachel Jensen (rear, in yellow) and the Happy Beans Coffee students on Friday, Feb. 9. InkFreeNews photo by Patrick Webb.

Jefferson Elementary School Resource Teacher Rachel Jensen, who started Happy Beans with Israel’s mother, Stacey, said they were short $905 dollars on the morning of Feb. 16. The coffee shop opened for regular hours of 8:45-10 a.m. as the last day of the fundraiser. Jefferson Elementary had a social media push to try and finish the goal.

“The (community turnout) just shocked everyone,” said Jensen. “We were crazy busy. My Happy Beans kids worked hard for over an hour.”

Jensen said they suspected they met their goal a half hour in, but didn’t know the amount they raised until they finished. Happy Beans Coffee raised $2,800 on the last day.

“An overwhelming thank you (to the community) for stepping up and supporting Israel (and Jefferson Elementary). I’ve never been more proud to call Winona Lake and Warsaw my community,” said Jensen.

The extra funds raised will help the family pay for medical bills, Bumbaugh said. Israel has a surgery scheduled in March.