NEENAH, Wis. (WFRV) — A Super Bowl Sunday tailgate turned into a major fundraising kickoff today for the Hortonville American Legion, as Packers legends help draw support for a new community center project.
The American Legion hosted a raffle and tailgate party today at the Bridgewood Conference Center in Neenah, raising money for a planned community center that organizers say will serve veterans and the surrounding Hortonville area.
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Building fund chairman Bob Zeigert says the project is focused on community support, especially for smaller surrounding towns.
“We’re going out to everybody in the community, to Fox River Valley and all around the Hortonville community, to help raise the funds for our building,” Zeigert said.
He says turnout today shows strong local support.
“We are really pleased with a lot of people from the Hortonville area that are out here supporting us already,” Zeigert said. “We are a small community. We support a lot of small communities around us, too.”
To help kick off the building fund, the Legion brought in Packers legends, including Gilbert Brown, also known as “The Gravedigger,” along with Chester Marcol. The former players are signing autographs, taking photos, and meeting with fans throughout the afternoon.
Brown says events like this are about using football to give back, especially to veterans.
“Any time you could take time and spend with these people here in the military to help these guys, it’s an honor,” Brown said.
He also spoke about the importance of supporting veterans beyond military service.
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“Even if you don’t want to be a part of the military, speak out for these guys,” Brown said. “Some of these guys don’t have homes, and they do so many things for us. This is another human being. Now let’s take the time to do something for them.”
The event included a live auction, raffle prizes, and tailgate food, with all the proceeds going towards the Hortonville American Legion’s community center building fund. Organizers say today’s event is the first of several planned fundraisers as they work toward breaking ground on the new center.
