Hours before La Porte High School’s football team played against their rivals Michigan City, the Slicers were keeping homecoming spirits high with a tailgate party at Handley Elementary. Slicers of past, future, and present, gathered together to scarf down some hot dog and hamburgers before kick off. The party was hosted not only to bring everyone together for homecoming, but also was a fundraiser for the La Porte Educational Development Foundation.
“This event is our 14th Annual Homecoming Tailgate, which really gets our community together before the big game.” Steve Walters, member of the La Porte Educational Development Foundation, explained. “The foundation puts this on to raise funds so we can give teachers grants for the classrooms so that they can do special projects that they normally wouldn’t have the funds to do on their own. It’s one of our biggest fundraisers of the year, but it’s also a great tradition and a good time for the people out here tonight.”
The dozens of people who lined the parking lot weren’t just teachers and students, plenty of family and friends came out to support the foundation as well.
Amy Ferrell, who graduated La Porte High School in 1991 and currently has young kids that attend La Porte schools, said that she brought out her family to be a part of a tradition she loved when she was a Slicer.
“With my son being a freshman and having nieces who are in high school we really just all wanted to come together and show our support for our Slicers.” Ferrell stated. “It’s nice to get together and celebrate before the game. It also gives a chance for our son in fifth grade who’s on the La Porte Crush baseball team to get a chance to have some fun at the dunk tank, and support their future as well with the work the Foundation is doing.”
There was also plenty to do other than chowing down a spot of good food - plenty of games were available for the kids to be a part of. Corn hole, face painting, and the ever popular dunk tank helped the party reach another level. Deputy John Burger took on being the dunk-ee in the dunk tank, which was a tough feat on a cold and cloudy October evening. Burger took in it stride, though, as he was happy to be a part of something that’s a proud tradition in his community.
“I’m a school resource officer at one of the middle schools and I’m here to help out the foundation, and it’s always fun for the kids to dump the cops they see every day.” Burger explained. “It was cold outside the water - inside the water is fine. It’s alright, though, because just being a part of this is what it’s all about. I was born and raised in La Porte, and I’m a La Porte grad, so I was more than happy to help out.”
Though the tailgate party went on happily for a couple hours before the game, 7 o’clock drew nearer and then it was time to make it across the street toward Kiwanis Field to see their favorite Slicers dominate their rivals on their home turf. For fourteen years La Porte has shown how strong their community pride is and how much value they put into their schools, so when year fifteen and beyond comes around, there’s no doubt that the Slicer Homecoming Tailgate Party will still rock on.