Perham Health Foundation to host Sept. 29 ‘watch party’ fundraiser for Vikings-Packers game – Perham Focus

PERHAM — This Sunday’s football clash between the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers at Wisconsin’s Lambeau Field is sure to be a memorable battle for a top spot in the NFC North.

But in Perham, the Sept. 29 game will also be an opportunity for the Perham Health Foundation to get some help in raising funds for the purchase of a new van for Perham Living residents.

The foundation is hosting a “Battle With Blue” tailgating and watch party fundraiser at Perham Lakeside Golf Course, with the tailgating, silent auction and prize giveaways to get underway at 11 am and game kickoff at noon.

‘We’re going to have a special tailgating menu,” says Sue Von Ruden, community relations director for Perham Health. “We’ll have brats and wings, a nacho and baked potato bar, and some other goodies.”

Tickets are $75 each, with proceeds going toward the purchase of a new van for Perham Living residents to use for medical appointments and recreational outings.

“The current van, which is crucial for our Perham Living resident activities, is showing signs of age and is becoming increasingly unreliable, particularly for longer journeys,” Von Ruden explained. “We use this van for a diverse range of activities, from shopping trips to movie outings, dinners out, fishing trips and county fair visits. Moreover, the van is a lifeline for residents to personal events such as weddings and funerals, as well as medical appointments when other options are unavailable.

“Unfortunately, the van has reached a point where we no longer feel comfortable taking it out of town, limiting the experiences we can offer our residents. A new van would not only provide a much-needed replacement, but also enable us to venture a bit further beyond our immediate community, our residents enjoy out-of-town sporting events, but this requires reliable transportation.”

There will be a silent auction in conjunction with the event as well, and attendees are also invited to “show their pigskin love” by wearing their best football-themed outfit, for a chance to win a special prize.

Von Ruden noted that the “Blue” part of the event name is a reference to the tradition of past Perham Health Foundation fundraisers to incorporate the color blue in some fashion.

“When we first started the fundraiser for the foundation in 2008, the theme was ‘Blue on Blue,'” she said. “Everything was done in the color blue, and it was more of a formal event.”

As the fundraiser evolved into more of an informal, social event, “we just kept the word blue in the title because people were familiar with it,” she added.

“Last year, it was called ‘Blue Up North,’ and we had a total northern Minnesota theme,” said Von Ruden, adding that in 2022, the event was called “Blue at the Ballpark,” and was held at the baseball field in Perham.

While the tailgating and silent auction part of the event will wrap up at halftime, guests are invited to stay and cheer on their favorite team for the rest of the game.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit perhamhealth.org/battle-with-blue.