16th Annual Wally and Rod's Warhawk Raffle/Auction Saturday

(In the photo above - Organizers have the Hamilton Center in the James R. Connor University Center set up in advance of Saturday night's 6th Annual Wally and Rod's Warhawk Raffle-Auction - Tom Pattison photo)

(Editor's Note: The following story on Saturday night's UW-Whitewater football, men's basketball and baseball Raffle-Auction, written by Jeff Seisser, was published in the Friday, November 11th edition of the Daily Jefferson County Union)

WHITEWATER - What started out as casual conversation over a sandwich and a beer has turned into 16 years of fundraising for the UW-Whitewater athletics.

This Saturday the 16th Annual Wally and Rod's Warhawk Raffle/Auction takes place in the Hamilton Room of the James R. Connor University Center on the UW-W campus.

Following the No. 1 ranked UW-Whitewater football team's regular-season finale against UW-La Crosse.

Tickets are only $10, and includes food, beverages and a chance to win a number of raffle prizes, including the $2,000 Grand Prize.

It's the major annual fundraiser for the UW-W football, men's basketball and baseball programs.

"Rod Berg, Wally (Schilberg) and I got talking," said former Warhawk men's basketball coach Dave Vander Meulen. "It was just a casual meeting talking about any new ideas about how to raise funds; at Division III schools you're always in need of raising funds."

"It was Wally that said, 'You should think about having auction,' " recalled Vander Meulen of the late Schilberg, a native of Milton.

"From there we went," Vander Meulen said.

Schilberg put Whitewater in touch with Milton auctioneer Bob Johnson, who has served as the auctioneer every year since.

"The nicest part of it is that people come out just anxious to help," said Vander Meulen. "They wouldn't have to show up, they just show up and enjoy the night, and in the process help out Whitewater athletics."

It began as a fundraiser for basketball, in particular the Warhawk Tip-Off Club. It has since branched off to football's Quarterback Club and even baseball's Dugout Club.

"Not only was it beneficial financially for us, but it was something where people came to donate money, but also get something in return in a lot of things they were bidding on," said Vander Meulen. "They weren't just making a donation, but taking home something they could have."

Some of the items include a Sanibel Island vacation package, a Prince Fielder All-Star canvas, quilts, oak chests, Aaron Rodgers and Clay Mathews Super Bowl canvas, and much, much more. A complete list of items can be found on warhawkfootball.com.

Vander Meulen is only one of many board members and volunteers. Others include Berg, Don Hornickel, Mike Mikkelsen, Lowell Hagen and Therese Kennedy, among others.

"I can't say enough for what they do," said Vander Meulen. "It involves some time - we're talking 16 years. It's not a one-shot deal and then gone, we're back again the next year."

Doors open Saturday at 5 p.m. The auction begins at 6:30 p.m., with prize drawings starting at 9:30 p.m.