MENASHA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A Menasha bar is making the holidays a little easier for families that need some help. Thanks to several donors, the Old Grog can offer food to more than 100 in the community.
Old Grog wanted to feed just five families in the community last year.
“To be able to give back to the community, because the community is who helps us stay open,” said the Old Grog Bar owner Rosita Eisenach.
Eisenach tells FOX 11 being able to feed five, quickly turned into 20.
“This year, with the times we were having we were like, ‘Well, let’s try doing 30!’”
That goal would be met and far exceeded, after the general manager of Sure-Dry Basement Systems in Menasha heard about the cause.
“He was so blown away by the generosity of the Old Grog,” said Sure-Dry Basement Systems marketing manager Tom Wardlow.
“Amid the pandemic, when small and local businesses, especially restaurants are trying to hang on, the Old Grog was instead focusing on helping families in need.”
The company wanted to lend a hand, so more people could get help. It challenged the Grog to feed 100 families, and then donated 100 turkeys to the effort.
And Wardlow tells FOX 11 that’s not all.
“We setup donation boxes all over our building, so that employees could come in and bring whatever additional food items in, to help with the other food items outside of the turkeys. It seems like every day since then, the boxes were just getting fuller and fuller.”
Eisenach says the community response was touching.
“I’ve actually cried quite a few times over this, from all the generous donations.”
The more word got out about what the Old Grog was doing, the more families would be fed.
“In the meantime, we had another gentleman from JF Lopez Roofing reach out to us and wanted to donate an additional 50 turkeys, so we are now feeding 150 families,” said Eisenach.
There are about 100 boxes, packed and ready to go, all they’re missing is the turkey.
Those turkeys will complete the whole package on Monday, and the 50 additional turkeys from JF Lopez Roofing will also be delivered to the Old Grog then.
“It’s just small things to do your part is all it takes to make an impact,” Wardlow said.
The last day the bar will be collecting food items will be Thursday. Any extra food that is donated will be going to the Menasha Police Department’s food drive.
Eisenach says the Old Grog is also adopting families for Christmas again this year, through the Brigade’s Christmas Giving program, for those who are still in the spirit of giving and would like to help out, after Thanksgiving.
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