/usr/web/www.marshallindependent.com/wp-content/themes/coreV2/single.php
×

A different uniform

Marshall police, fire chiefs don costumes for Gruffalo Walk fundraiser

Photo by Deb Gau Marshall Public Safety Director Jim Marshall and Fire Chief Quentin Brunsvold smile at some spectators during the “Gruffalo Walk” fundraiser for United Way on Thursday. The two men were in a head-to-head competition to see who could raise the most money for the Stuff the Bus school supplies initiative. As the loser, Marshall had to walk down Main Street dressed as the children’s book character the Gruffalo.

MARSHALL — Traffic was moving slow as a police car and a fire truck made their way down Main Street with their lights on Thursday afternoon. But the vehicles weren’t the real show — they were escorts for the Gruffalo.

As part of the third annual “Gruffalo Walk” fundraiser, Marshall Public Safety Director Jim Marshall and Fire Chief Quentin Brunsvold walked through downtown in costume as the children’s book character. The two men waved to passers-by and spectators as they headed from the fire hall to a reception at the Wooden Nickel.

The event raised a total of $1,378 to support United Way of Southwest Minnesota’s “Stuff the Bus” initiative, which provides school supplies for thousands of area children.

“It’s really good community engagement and awareness,” UWSWMN CEO Meg Louwagie said of the Gruffalo Walk.

The Gruffalo Walk event is a head-to-head competition, to see which of two candidates receives the most “votes” through donations to Stuff the Bus. The loser has to walk through town wearing the Gruffalo costume.

This year Marshall had a slight lead over Brunsvold up until the final day of competition, when donations surged in for the fire chief. In the final tally, there was $1,085 in donations for Brunsvold, and $293 for Marshall.

However, Marshall didn’t end up having to make his walk alone.

“I made a deal with Jim to do half the walk,” Brunsvold said. “But I got to wear the suit first.”

They started walking from the fire hall, with Brunsvold in costume first. Halfway to the Wooden Nickel, they stopped for Marshall to put on the Gruffalo costume.

Louwagie said organizers moved the walk date from June to May in hopes that it would be a little easier to wear the suit.

“We tried to move it to a day that wasn’t so warm,” she said. However, Thursday afternoon still turned out to be a hot day for a walk in a fuzzy costume.

Louwagie said UWSWMN has tried to find community members to be in the Gruffalo Walk competition for the past couple of years. Last year, representatives from Kruse Motors and Lockwood Motors made for a good head-to-head contest, she said. Police versus firefighters seemed like another obvious community competition.

“Thank goodness Jim and Quentin are really generous gentlemen,” Louwagie said. “It was fun working with them.”

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.38/week.

Subscribe Today