The Milwaukee Post

16 • Milwaukee County Post • April 6, 2018 Advertise in the Milwaukee Post's DINING OUT GUIDE. • Reach over 10,000 homes in Milwaukee County. • Feature specials, unique menu items, coupons, new staff or anything that will enhance the diner's experience in your restaurant. • Make your ad eye-catching, add color. Ask your sales representative about this low additional rate. • Your ad will run alongside a monthly reader contest, creating high readership. Deadline: Tuesday prior to publication Publishes: Weekly in the Milwaukee Post Reserve your ad space today! Call: 414-744-6370. Connect with customers looking for a great place to eat. SOUTH MILWAUKEE — South Milwaukee's favorite son is a step closer to com- ing home. With the help of the com- munity, and private donors, nearly $40,000 has been raised for the city to erect a life-size bronze statue of wrestling champion Reggie Lisowski, better known to his fans as Da Crusher. Oak Creek resident and fundraising organizer Chris Smith said the cam- paign is only several thou- sand dollars away from meeting its $40,000 goal. He anticipates proceeds from the April 6 wrestling roundtable at South Milwaukee PAC will put the campaign over the top. The event will include some of Da Crusher's wrestling con- temporaries, including Baron von Raschke and "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell, sharing memories of the blue-collar heavyweight. "The presales have been going really well. I expect there will be hundreds of people there for sure," Smith said. VIP ticket holders will be able to enter the event at 5 p.m., two hours earlier than its start time. Food provided by Scrappy's BBQ & Catering will be available in the com- mons at 5 p.m. Crusher T- shirts will be on sale, and attendees have the opportu- nity to bid on wrestling memorabilia during a silent auction. A robust social media campaign has greatly helped efforts, Smith said. The statue's GoFundMe page has been shared on Facebook more than 2,100 times. Internet contribu- tions have accounted for more than 50 percent of donations for the statue, Smith said. Local events at establish- ments such as Moran's Pub and The Tap Room in South Milwaukee have also raised money for the cause. Smith said the foundation doesn't have an artist in mind to design the statue, but it is considering work- ing with various bronze casting firms. "A number of places have communicated that they would love to do the statue," said Smith. The city is considering an ideal location for the wrestling giant, although Smith believes the statue will be placed somewhere in downtown South Milwaukee. "Ultimately, placement of the statue will be up to the Common Council," he said. "Our role is to create the statue and present it to the city." If donations exceed the $40,000 goal, Smith said the extra money will likely go toward a party to celebrate he statue's unveiling. "We'll call it Crusher Fest," he said. — Catherine Jozwik Special to the Post Da Crusher close to returning to his South Milwaukee home Da Crusher fans had the opportunity to take selfies with his card- board likeness at the South Milwaukee Spring Market on March 18 at the city's high school. Another event is planned Friday to push the statue fundraising mark over $40,000. Photo courtesy of Chris Smith Group hopes event reaches fundraising goal Friday ENTERTAINMENT

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