"School supplies and backpacks:" Packers legends come together to raise money for Harvey victims
BROOKFIELD -- Four Green Bay Packers legends on Sunday, September 3rd came together to raise money for victims of Hurricane Harvey.
"The Green Bay Packers are here too. Why wouldn't you want to be here?" Dave Wacker, donor said.
Santana Dotson, LeRoy Butler, George Koonce and Gilbert Brown at the Saloon on Calhoun with Bacon Sunday signed autographs and took photos with fans during his fundraiser. The money raised will benefit those impacted by Harvey through the Santana Dotson Foundation.
For $10, visitors could have their photo taken with the Packers legends, and $25 got visitors an autograph.
This fundraiser also includes a raffle and silent auction, along with live music and drink specials. Rows of pool tables at the saloon were filled with raffle donations.
"Some people are restarting their lives and we have the opportunity to do a very little bit with a bunch of great people that have come out to help," Dave Dayler, Saloon on Calhoun with Bacon co-owner said.
"People are just donating, and donating, and donating," Jennine Paoli, Saloon on Calhoun with Bacon co-owner said.
Dotson went to high school in Houston and said he wanted to help kids who have lost everything.
"What we're going to do...it was the first week of school down in Houston, so what we're going to do is a lot of kids lost their school supplies, backpacks, clothing -- everything from underwear to toothbrushes if you can imagine, so that's going to be our first phase. We're going to replace a lot of school supplies and backpacks and things like that," Dotson said.
Water from flooding during Harvey in some Houston elementary schools were four feet high, with dozens inaccessible more than a week after the storm. The start of the school year has been postponed until at least September 11th.
"We're also going to buy groceries for families as they go back into their homes," Dotson said.
This fundraiser was organized in just 48 hours, with a goal of $10,000 for Harvey victims.
As this fundraiser took place Sunday, thousands of items collected through the JJ Watt Foundation in Pewaukee, Janesville and Madison were unloaded in Houston -- 10 semis full! Watt, a DE for the Houston Texans who is also a Pewaukee native and former Wisconsin Badgers star began passing out the needed items Sunday, as his online fundraiser reached a total of more than $18 million, just one week after it was launched.
"Tragic times bring out the best in communities and people," Dotson said.
"When things get really, really tough, the people of America tend to step up," Tony Goff, musician said.
CLICK HERE if you'd like to donate to the Packers legends' fundraiser by credit card.
CLICK HERE to learn more about this fundraiser, which continued until 8:00 p.m. Sunday.