Reality television star and author Kate Gosselin will attend a fundraiser Wednesday at Trinity Lutheran Church to benefit the family of the two children who died in March as the result of a car crash on Route 61.
The event will feature Zumba, a popular dance fitness program, from 6 to 7 p.m. upstairs at the church, located at 300 W. Arch St. People are asked to use the rear entrance on Fourth Street and walk up the stairs. Doors open at 5 p.m. It is $5 to attend.
Carianna Kroh, 6, and Catrina Williams, 3, both of Minersville, were passengers in a 1996 Plymouth Breeze driven by their mother, Victoria Place, 27, of Minersville, that was hit broadside by another vehicle on Route 61 at the entrance to Faith Church in West Brunswick Township on March 24.
Kroh died later that day at the Lehigh County trauma center while her younger sister died March 25 at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest after she was taken off life support.
Place survived the crash.
The fundraiser was organized by Brenda Schuettler.
Schuettler said her family has been friends with Place and her children for a long time.
"I was talking with friends and we said that we had to do something for the family," she said. "I love Zumba and a lot of the girls' teachers do Zumba so we decided to do that."
In addition to being friends with Gosselin on Twitter, Schuettler said she met the celebrity mother while volunteering at the Y102 "Yes I Can" Special Olympics 5K Fundraiser in September.
"We met there and talked and we've just been Twitter buddies ever since," Schuettler said.
Gosselin will be signing autographs and selling her books. All proceeds will go to the family to defray funeral and medical expenses. There will also be a 50/50 drawing and other raffles. Additional donations are also welcome. People are asked to wear pink, the girls' favorite color.
For more information, contact Schuettler on Facebook.