Huge turnout for Shaela Warkentin Chipotle fundraiser

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Nearly a hundred people stood outside of the Clovis Chipotle Thursday night. Many of them didn't even know Shaela Warkentin personally but decided to come out to support her.

"It makes me feel good just to participate in good things and kind of help people out. We go to church and stuff so anything that we can do that we can to help the community out." said Deri Lascher of Clovis.

Even longer lines could be found at both of Chipotle's Fresno locations near River Park and at Fig Garden Village.

Katie Arballo and Melana Allen helped organize the event. They teamed up with Chipotle and came up with this Facebook page. By Thursday -- more than 1,5000 people confirmed they'd go inside and buy food to help out Shaela's recovery efforts.

"So it is just amazing. And as you can tell the line is reaching really far. It is so amazing." said Shaela's friend Melana Allen.

"I'm completely blown away. I just can't believe the support that the community is showing for our family." said Shaela's Father Ken Warkentin.

Warkentin says the days and weeks have been tough on him and the family since her horrific accident back on March 8th. A pick-up truck plowed into the back of the car Shaela was riding in. The impact threw the Bullard sophomore through the window and it took medics 45 minutes to pry her from the wreckage. Shaela's has gone through numerous surgeries and her father says her recovery has been up and down.

"The last couple of days have been a little bit more down that up but she's still progressing so it's going to be a long road, a long road to recovery." added Ken Warkentin.

And perhaps no one was more appreciative of Thursday's huge turnout than Shaela's father. He spent the night hugging people in line at all three Chipotle locations.

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