That total includes a $5,000 contribution from Madison Gas & Electric Co., and a $6,000 donation from the restaurant Potbelly 's, according to Angela Hanson, vice president for human resources at Heartland Credit Union.

A group of Madison police officers, including Hanson 's husband, Mike, established the fund in the days after the tragedy.

Donations can still be made to the fund at any of Heartland 's seven branch offices, or online using a credit card at www.heartlandcu.org.

The families of the victims have declined to comment on how they have been coping, but the fiance of one of the victims said she is planning to return to Madison.

Jamie McGee, 28, and her three children went back to Chicago to be with relatives after Demetrius R. Dobbs was killed when he tried to help their neighbor and friend, Lakisha M. Dancy, and her 2-year-old daughter, Maya Reese. The three were electrocuted when a lightning strike downed a power line near a bus stop during a torrential downpour on Aug. 22.

McGee and Dobbs had moved from Chicago to Madison with her children Eric, 7, Dezerhea, 8, and Destiny, 6, in June and lived near Dancy, who had moved to Madison almost a year ago.

Dancy 's 7-year-old son, Malik Chandler, also was shocked in the incident, but survived. He and his two other siblings, Cierra Chandler, 8, and Osha Dancy, 12, were being taken care of by relatives in Chicago.

The bus driver, who also tried to help the victims and was shocked, has returned to work, Metro Transit spokeswoman Julie Maryott-Walsh said. He continues to decline comment about the tragedy.

-- Matthew DeFour

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