Penticton Herald

Where should the money go?

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At least one family whose son was injured in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash says the millions raised by a GoFundMe campaign should be split evenly among the survivors and the families of those killed.

The fundraiser was created immediatel­y after the April 6 accident and raised $15.2 million in less than two weeks.

The cash is being transferre­d to a new non-profit corporatio­n called the Humboldt Broncos Memorial Fund Inc. and is expected to be distribute­d to victims in the coming months.

“I just say divide it, but that’s just me,” said Tom Straschnit­zki, whose son Ryan was paralyzed from the chest down.

Sixteen people — including 10 players — were killed and another 13 players were injured a month ago when the junior hockey team’s bus and a semi collided at a rural intersecti­on.

No other families have offered an opinion, but officials with the team have said they will establish an advisory committee that will make recommenda­tions on how the money should be doled out.

“They will end up going through a process that involves the courts,” said Kevin Garinger, president of the Humboldt Broncos. “We want to do it fairly.

“We just want to make sure that if there is anyone who wants to or needs to dispute anything ... that they have a way of doing that.”

A U.S.-based lawyer said he has suggested the team appoint an administra­tor and community advisory committee.

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