 Ninety-year-old Louis Gardipee, who saw his first Packers
game a half-century ago and will never forget it, has been named the second annual
honoree for the Packers Fan Hall of Fame.
Gardipee, a resident of Black River Falls, Wis., emerged from a field of 10
finalists to join the late Mel Knoke of Appleton, last year's initial inductee,
in the Fan shrine.
Louie, as he is known in his home town, has been attending Packers games since
the early '50s - the legendary 1967 "Ice Bowl" among them - and has found that
his first such experience made a life-long impact upon him.
Gardipee, traveling 160 miles for that initial fall visit to Green Bay in
1952 with his wife, two sons and four season tickets, was dismayed upon arrival
at old City Stadium (Lambeau Field did not become the Packers' home until 1957)
to learn one of his season tickets had been lost.
Fortunately, there was a happy ending...two of them in fact. The four Gardipees
did get into the stadium and the lost ticket subsequently was turned in and
returned to Louie.
Since that time, out of continuing gratitude, Gardipee has built upon the kindness
of the individual who turned the ticket in by sharing his season tickets and other
tickets he acquires from his family. To date, his sharing has made it possible for
more than 2,000 other individuals to see their first - and perhaps only - Packers game.
Mary I. Woods of Black River Falls, who nominated Gardipee for the FAN honor,
noted in presenting him, "Among the individuals who have had this opportunity
is 22-year-old Chris Cooley of Black River Falls. Diagnosed with a brain
tumor a year ago, which resulted in his eyesight deteriorating, Chris
wished to see a Packer game. Louie heard about this and gave Chris and his
father tickets to the first 1999 season home game - Packers vs. Oakland.
Today, Chris is legally blind. However, he will always be grateful to Louie
for giving him the opportunity to see the Packers."
Through the years, Gardipee also has given tickets to the Black River Falls
Lions Club for use in fund-raising raffles. They thus far have netted over
$15,000, with proceeds going toward community projects, including scholarships.
Gardipee, appropriately, is the proud possessor of charter membership in the
Packer Hall of Fame, purchased when the permanent Hall of Fame was erected in
1976, the year it was dedicated by President Gerald Ford.
In recognition of being selected to represent all fans as the Packers
FAN Hall of Fame's second honorary fan, Gardipee will be saluted on the
Lambeau Field JumboTron board during the first Packers home game of the
2000 season. He also will receive a $500 Packers Pro Shop gift certificate
and a road trip for two to a 2000 Packers away game (including tickets, air
fare and hotel accommodations). In addition, he will attend and be recognized
at the Packer Hall of Fame Induction Dinner in July and be permanently
recognized in the Packer Hall of Fame.
In the election process, Packers fans were asked to vote on the top ten
finalists - chosen by the Packers FAN Hall of Fame selection committee -
whose stories best represented all Packers fans. Gardipee received
approximately 25 percent of the total votes cast.
Finalists, in addition to Gardipee, included Alex Carmichael, Carol City,
Fla.; Pat Connors, New Lisbon, Wis.; Bea Froelich, Green Bay; Michael Gourlie
and John O'Neill, both of Madison; J. Fred Morrison, Rockford, Ill.; Ken
Rammer, Appleton; Walter Riley, Jr., Sparta, Wis.; and Father Carl Steiner,
Oconto Falls, Wis. O'Neill also was a finalist in last year's election.
The Packers FAN Hall of Fame has been established by the Green Bay Packers
and the Packer Hall of Fame and is exclusively sponsored by the Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel, Shopko Stores, Stein Gardens and Gifts and Power Now from
Wisconsin Gas.
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