PULASKI, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Shawano County Sheriff’s officials are continuing to investigate a bonfire explosion in the town of Maple Grove two weeks ago that injured dozens of Pulaski High School students and recent graduates.
Four students remain hospitalized as a result of that explosion, and now the Pulaski community is rallying behind those injured, selling “Raider Strong” yard signs to benefit the victims. Ashwaubenon sign shop Elevate 97 printed those signs.
“It’s everything,” Elevate 97 Accounts Coordinator Brittney Pieper said. “Everyone’s trying to find ways to donate money to that families that really, really need it.”
In one of just a number of different fundraisers, these signs are being sold for $20 each with all proceeds going to the victims and their families. Ashwaubenon sign shop Elevate 97 was responsible for the printing and distribution of the signs on Friday. Pieper said she wasn’t the one who came up with the idea, but she was responsible for making it happen.
“Someone had reached out to me asking if we could make yard signs,” Pieper said. “I didn’t see a lot of interest in it. No one was piping up, saying, ‘Hey, I can do it,’ and I figured, we’ve done plenty of these. This is something we can do in our spare time on the fly, so I reached out and said, ‘Yeah, we’ll gladly do it.'”
Pulaski resident Gordi Black was among the hundreds who expressed their interest on Facebook. Black bought two signs and left an additional $10 to be donated to the fund.
“We are part of the community,” Black said. “I mean, there’s 4,000 of us here and, quite frankly, it’s home and you want to take care of your family.”
The money being collected from the sign sale will go to an account Fox Cities Community Bank created.
Black said it means a lot to do anything to help.
“We’re not going to fix it, but we want to make it as tolerable as we possibly can,” he said.
Pieper said even after the current inventory runs out, she’s happy to make more signs if demand is still high.
“If you want one, we’ll take names down, we’ll make more,” Pieper said. “We’ll do what we’ve got to do.”
Many in the community, including Black, have closely followed the progress of the victims. Some have shared healing stories online.
“To all the folks who were impacted, we’re all praying for them and hoping for good healing,” Black said. “It makes us feel good that our prayers are being answered.
The community has gathered in other ways to support the victims as well — truly fulfilling the signs’ message that “No one fights alone.” Efforts have included creating shirts and sweatshirts, donating proceeds from a haunted trail event and setting up a fundraiser for this winter.
We at WTAQ have set up a website with the help of the Oshkosh Mid Morning Kiwanis, where you can donate to victims at helppulaski.com.
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