Zavyr Gregory, 10, a fourth-grader at Emily Brittain Elementary School, came up with the idea to have a fundraiser to help the people of Puerto Rico.

The Butler community is coming together to raise money for people in dire need of help in Puerto Rico — and the idea started with a 10-year-old boy.

A bingo night fundraiser will raise money to assist people struggling in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.

Bingo, a bake sale and a basket raffle will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 17 in the Butler Middle School cafeteria, 225 E. North St.

The idea to hold a fundraiser came from Zavyr Gregory, a fourth-grade student at Emily Brittain Elementary School.

Zavyr said he decided to speak with his teachers and principal about raising money for Puerto Ricans after talking to his father about how bad the damage was there.

“Puerto Rico is part of our country and people that live in Butler and around Butler have family from Puerto Rico or they might have been born in Puerto Rico,” Zavyr said.

The family did some research about charitable organizations and selected the National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce, said Tonya Gregory, Zavyr's mother.

The chamber is matching cash donations and its corporate sponsors are doubling the orders for supplies, so for each dollar raised in Butler, $4 will be spent on relief. The chamber's relief efforts include delivering medicine, water filtration devices, generators and temporary shelter assistance in Puerto Rico.

Numerous local businesses and civic organizations have donated items for the basket raffle — including Pittsburgh Penguins tickets and an LED television.

“I have been completely amazed and shocked at how our community has decided to help,” Tonya Gregory said.

Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for children. Children ages 5 and younger will get in for free.

Bingo cards will be included for the cost of admission and adult bingo players will win tickets to enter in the basket raffle.

Maria, a category 5 Hurricane, hit Puerto Rico and several other islands in the Caribbean Sea in September.

The storm killed at least 98 people, including 54 in Puerto Rico, and left thousands without food, water and shelter.