GERMAN TWP., Clark County — Along state Route 41 in German Twp., Clark County, there is torn-up turf and shattered glass -- signs of Tuesday morning’s deadly school bus crash that left one child dead and at least 20 others injured.
There are also mementos – signs of a shattered community because of what happened.
Wednesday, fourth-grader Karter Arrasmith was one of the people paying respects where the crash occurred, along state Route 41 (Troy Road) near Lawrenceville Road.
“We’re here leaving a teddy bear and a baseball hat,” Arrasmith said.
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He said he knew the little boy who died in the crash.
“He was my friend and he played baseball with me,” he said.
His mother, Kayla Arrasmith, shared ways the community is working to help the family: “Food trains, giving them meals for the upcoming days.”
The compassion spread to the Woodland Golf Club in Champaign County as strangers are showing kindness because club owner Todd Woodruff has a connection to the family of the boy who died in the crash.
“His grandpa has worked here at this course as part of the grounds crew for several years,” Woodruff said. “He’s just a great guy. I can’t tell you that I know the family well at all, but just good people.”
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Woodruff showed News Center 7 Reporter John Bedell the jar the golf club set out after telling people the club would be accepting donations.
The response, he said, has been overwhelming.
“I’ve always said it’s the little guys that are going to be there in the time of need. Your people in the rural communities, your small towns, those are the people that will help you when you need it. I’m telling you, they have come out of the woodwork and it’s great to see,” Woodruff said.
Total strangers doing what they can to uplift a community after a tragedy.
“They just want to help, they really do,” Woodruff said.
He said he got a call from a mom who said her two boys wanted to empty their piggy banks and donate the $76 they came up with.
Woodruff said he would put in his own money on their behalf — the two boys insisted they wanted to use their own money to help a family going through something no one should.
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