Thanks to the generosity of nearly two dozen businesses and two grandmothers, the WEM football team has been provided a pre-game team meal before every football game this season.
The WEM football booster club received thousands of dollars in donations from area businesses to allow the Buccaneer football team a carbohydrate filled meal the day before their games.
Monday, October 23 was the final one of the season and the players and coaches were so thankful for this generosity.
"I love it because I get to eat right after practice and it is a great way to bond with the team. The trick is to make sure you get the food before the lineman,” Aric Williams said.
"I love team dinners because after a good practice we all get to sit around, talk, and have some really good food," Bryce Gagnon said.
"They are pretty good. I enjoy the team bonding experience, but the food is the best part,” Avery Breyer said.
"Team bonding, free food - it's just an overall positive experience,” Tarek Tolzman said.
In addition to the monetary donations, two grandmothers of players prepared these meals for nearly 60 people once a week.
Mary Lee Androli and Sue Roemhildt, grandmothers of Talen Taylor and Jacob Androli, spearhead the kitchen work, something which would seem to be a daunting task, but not for these two.
Just like an Androli family get-together, Mary Lee had little trouble figuring out the menu each week.
“This is not my first rodeo,” Mary Lee said. “We had 56 for Christmas this year so 60 for football is not the end of the world.”
Since the 1970s, Androli has been helping supply the Buccaneer football team with snacks on game days, starting when her son Daryl was in school. Mary Lee and Barb Leen provided sandwiches for away games.
Roemhildt was not quite as sure about the process because of the amount of food which needed to be prepared, but throughout the weeks she saw how things in such large portions could get completed in a timely and orderly fashion.
Roemhildt and Androli have cooked and served...
To see more on this story pick up the october 26, 2023 print edition of the LifeEnterprise.
WEM football team benefits from home cooking and generous businesses
