WATCH/LISTEN TO EMOTIONAL MOMENT OF SILENCE IN BARK RIVER
The effort to help the Escanaba Eskymos and the Weaver family continued in gyms across the Upper Peninsula Tuesday night.
The proceeds of these fundraisers will help to support the Weaver kids (Noah, Lukas, and Sophie), as they deal with the loss of their parents, Tara and Jerry. in last Friday’s traffic crash in eastern Delta County.
At the Bark River-Harris vs Munising boys basketball game in Bark River, they had a bake sale, 50/50 raffle, and Embers Credit Union sponsored a photo table. The bake sale brought in $2,700, the 50/50 brought in $1,500 (after the winner of the $750 prize gave it back to the Weavers), and the photo table brought in $500, which was matched by the credit union employees. The total for the Weaver kids: $7,253.24.
“This was such a tragedy,” BR-H Athletic Director Jeanne Lippens said. “It could happen to any team heading to (away) sports. I think it effected our team, too, because we ave two Javurek kids who are nieces and nephews (to the Weavers). We just want to show our support for the Eskymos. And for our family, too. I drove through many, many snowstorms and bad roads. It’s just heartbreaking. The support in the community has been wonderful, and I think that’s what sports are all about.”
The two teams locked hands and got into a giant circle on the court for a moment of silence before the game started. The Broncos players were all wearing Orange and Black shirts over their jerseys bearing the #24 jersey that Lukas Weaver, an Eskymo senior who is friends with many of the BR-H players, wears in Escanaba.
After the game, the teams again got together for a group photo on the court, wearing all Orange and Black (Munising’s colors are orange and black).
In Rapid River, the Rockets hosted North Dickinson and the Rapid River boys were also wearing Orange and Black, as were many of the fans in the stands.
They took donations at the door, gave the Weavers the 50/50 proceeds (including the woman who won the $400 prize giving it back), and the concession stand profits. Plus, Rapid River Knifeworks made a donation equal to the food sales. The grand total: $4,900.
In Gladstone, the Braves hosted Negaunee in girls basketball. They did a “Miracle Minute” where students went into the stands to collect donations. The Braves donated their portion of the 50/50 raffle. The Gladstone student section, which normally enjoys heckling the Eskymos from the stands behind the basket, wore orange. The Gladstone High School band even played the Eskymo fight song at the game.
The grand total of what Gladstone raised for the Weaver family Tuesday night: $4,273.
In Norway, the Knights hosted the Kingsford Flivvers in a boys-girls basketball doubleheader. They raised $720 in the 50/50 alone. In Marquette, the rival Redmen held an “orange-out” as they hosted Westwood in boys basketball.
In St. Ignace, the girls basketball team hosted Cedarville-DeTour, and the Saints also raised money for the Weavers by donating their 50/50 proceeds, passing a donation bucket, and doing a blanket toss during the game (final total not yet available).
In Powers, the North Central Jets held their second fundraiser in as many nights for the Weaver family as they hosted Carney-Nadeau in boys basketball. A local business, Stewart Manufacturing, matched the 50/50 proceeds. All of the money (total not yet available), again, to help the Weaver kids.
In Sault Ste. Marie, where Lukas Weaver and his team were playing last Friday when the tragedy happened, they had already planned their annual Cancer vs Rivals games for Tuesday night as they played Brimley. However, this Wednesday night, when the Blue Devils host Harbor Springs, they are also having an “orange-out” and accepting donations at the door to donate to the Weaver kids.
A GoFundme page set up to collect donations for the Weavers has, as of 4 a.m. ET on Wednesday, brought in an astonishing $143,887.
Additionally, an account has been set up at First Bank, which has locations in Escanaba, Gladstone, Bark River, Garden, Marquette, Ishpeming, Iron Mountain and Kingsford.
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