A teenager's spooky haunted house benefits forgotten soldiers

A Palm Beach County teenager scaring people for a good cause. This is how Jonah Wides spent his Friday and Saturday nights.

“We are building a haunted house to raise money for Forgotten Soldiers,” he said.

Aiding Forgotten Soldiers is a non-profit organization that sends care packages to soldiers overseas. The organization is very valuable to its family.

“My dad’s grandfather used to be in the military, so I wanted to do this for him,” Wides said.

Jonah Wides talks to WPTV reporter Cassandra Garcia about why he created a haunted house... — Jonah Wides talks with WPTV reporter Cassandra Garcia about why he created a haunted house to raise money for soldiers.

Sheryl Wilk, Jonah’s mother, said the nonprofit has been a part of their family for years.

“When he was a baby, I would volunteer with them when I had more time, and so I would bring him in the stroller and help with care packages for Forgotten Soldiers,” Wilk said.

Together they turned nearly every inch of their home in Winston Trails into a haunted house. The construction of the project took a year.

Sheryl Wilk says Forgotten Soldiers Relief is a nonprofit organization close to the heart of her family... — Sheryl Wilk says Forgotten Soldiers Outreach is a nonprofit that has been close to her family’s heart for several years.

“Building up the walls, covering the furniture, moving things around, because believe it or not, this is our home, so we had to find a way to make it doable,” Wilk said.

It was a labor of love with a big goal in mind.

“I’m trying to raise $500 or more to help the soldiers,” Wides said.

About $700 later every fear came to fruition.

“It was a lot of fun,” one community member said. “It’s great to see high school students taking the time and effort to do this, to be able to fundraise, to write letters.”

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