PORTAGE, Wis. -- The community effort to help an abused 11-year-old boy found in a Portage home is continuing, and young people in the area are joining the effort.

The Portage High School girls basketball team washed cars Friday for Portage Cares, a fundraising effort organized by the Portage Daily Register for the child found in a Portage home during a police investigation.

Beyond the boy's discovery, authorities also found his mother buried in the yard. Four people are now charged with being party to her killing and to the abuse inflicted on the boy, which included burns all over his body from boiling water and injuries from serial beatings. His extensive injuries are documented in the criminal complaint filed last week in Columbia County Circuit Court.

Donations of money, a new bed and a weekend resort stay are just part of the community effort to help the boy, who was found this month hiding in a closet at the rented home in Portage where he was apparently abused.

"It just really touched us and we wanted to do all we could just to help him along his way," said Taylor Cullen, fundraising coordinator and Portage High School senior.

Along the way, the girls washed cars for people motivated to give for different reasons.

"Even if my car was completely clean, I still would have come up and gave money. I think it's great what these kids are doing," said Shari Schaefer, a fundraiser donor.

"It's just amazing that all these girls are helping out," said Kelley Stanley, member of the Portage High School girls basketball team.

A charity brat fry will also be manned by parents, and all the money raised will be donated to Portage Cares.

"This is an awesome place to be. Portage really is. They're good people here," Schaefer said.

Several businesses donated food and car wash supplies for the Portage Cares event.

Portage Daily Register editor Jason Maddox said that the campaign has raised a grand total of $13,500 so far.

Those who want to donate to Portage Cares can send non-cash donation to the Portage Daily Register newspaper.

Monetary donations should be sent in care of "Portage Cares" to any of these Portage banks:

Portage National Bank
2380 New Pinery Road
Portage, WI 53901

AMCORE Bank
611 E. Wisconsin St.
Portage, WI 53901

AMCORE Bank
2851 New Pinery Road
Portage, WI 53901

Associated Bank
222 E. Wisconsin St.
Portage WI 53901

Community Bank of Portage
2930 New Pinery Road
Portage, WI 53901