APPLETON (NBC 26) — Appleton was the site of the "Pulling for Honor" fundraiser today. Teams pulled for a cause that's about more than winning. Proceeds from the event go towards the Old Glory Honor Flight.
"We believe that every veteran needs to be recognized and what we do is take them on a one day trip out to Washington D.C. so that they can see their memorials,” Diane MacDonald said, Old Glory Honor Flight Executive Director.
The last "Pulling for Honor" event was in 2019 and the winning team set a record of 9.3 seconds to pull a 200,000 lb Airbus 12 feet across the ground.
The team was made up of Green Bay Rugby Club players, and that record may not be the most interesting part of their story.
"We had to go first cause I had to run out of here and get married,” Ed Borowitz said, a member of the 2019 winning team.
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Three members of the 2019 winning team were in the wedding.
"This was more important than the wedding cause the wedding day was easy cause I knew that was all gonna work out. This, we had a little to worry about,” Borowitz said.
Even with a wedding just a few hours away, being part of "Pulling for Honor" was important for the team.
"Coach Larry: he's a Vietnam vet, he did two tours, he was an officer for the Marines. That's why we do this. It's for the veterans, we do it for him,” Borowitz said.
Event-goers were patient while waiting to hear who the winner of this year's event was; the previous winners were waiting to hear if they still held the title...
They do! The Green Bay Rugby Club team won the fundraiser yet again.
In total, the "Pulling for Honor" fundraiser 2022 raised $132,000 for Old Glory Honor Flight, which is a new record for the organization.
