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Rooftop Santa Reaches Fundraising Goal, Catholic School Will Stay Open

(CBS) -- Santa Claus has been up on a Catholic school rooftop for a week and a half—raising enough money to keep St. Florian open.

St. Florian School principal Krista Wilkinson says $30,000 had been collected or pledged to the school in Hegewisch, with another $25,000 needed to reach its goal to try to stay open next year. The balance of the money came in Thursday night, CBS 2's Brad Edwards reports.

Santa Claus—otherwise known as Jesse Terrazas in real life—has been camping on the school's roof to lead the fundraising effort.

St. FLorian's principal says another the school is so vital is because so many schools from Illinois and Northwest Indiana use its gym for basketball games.

 

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