PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A Palm Beach County teen is scaring people for a good cause. That's how Jonah Wides spent his Friday and Saturday nights.
"We're just doing a haunted house to raise money for Forgotten Soldiers," he said.
Forgotten Soldiers Outreach is a nonprofit that sends care packages to soldiers overseas. The organization is dear to his family.
"My dad's grandpa used to be in the military so I just wanted to do it for him," Wides said.
Jonah's mother, Sheryl Wilk, said the nonprofit has been a part of their family for years.
"When he was a baby I used to volunteer with them — when I had a lot more time — and so I would bring him in the stroller and I would help with care packages for Forgotten Soldiers," Wilk said.
Together they transformed almost every inch of their Winston Trails home into a haunted house. The project was a year in the making.
"Putting up the walls, covering up the furniture, moving things because, believe it or not, this is our house, so we had to find a way to make this workable," Wilk said.
It was a labor of love with a big goal in mind.
"I’m trying to raise like $500 or more to just help the soldiers," Wides said.
Nearly $700 later, every scare has paid off.
"It was very fun," said one member of the community. "To see the high school students put time and effort into doing this so they can raise donations, write the letters, is just fantastic to see."
