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OneRepublic smash target to aid families of Connecticut school victims

Written by . Published: December 17 2012

Onerepublic have smashed their $50,000 fundraising target to help the families of those killed in the massacre at a Connecticut school on Friday (14Dec12), and have now increased their goal to $250,000.


The Apologize hitmakers were heartbroken to read that 20 kindergarten students and six staffmembers at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown were killed by a gunman, identified as 20-year-old Adam Lanza, who allegedly turned the firearm on himself.


They launched a drive on fundraising website IndieGogo.com on Saturday (15Dec12) to help provide for the victims' relatives, who may be too grief-stricken to return to work, and they kickstarted the initiative with a $20,000 donation.


Stars including Foster The People, Sara Bareilles and actress Hayden Panettiere helped raise awareness of the fundraiser by sending a link to their fans via Twitter.com - and OneRepublic's goal has already been achieved.


As a result, the band, fronted by singer/songwriter Ryan Tedder, has increased the target to $250,000.


A series of posts on the act's Twitter page reads, "We're gonna have to raise the goal for the Sandy Hook shooting victim fund. $50K raised in 24 hrs - I think we may bump to $250K. Guys our initial goal was $50,000 in the next 30 days for the Sandy Hook victims - u (sic) made it happen in 24 hrs (hours) - let's go bigger. Help NewTown."

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