Dubuque Teacher Honored with Baseball Games, Silent Auction, and More

Jesse Freiburger was a pillar of the Dubuque community. Beyond devoting 18 years to the Dubuque Community School District, Freiburger was a Bellevue, IA native who graduated from Loras College and, more recently, became the principal at Marshall Elementary. His passing is a reminder not to take a day for granted.

On Friday, July 14th, I was out at the Dubuque Sports Complex for "Pack the Ballpark for Jesse," a weeklong memorial event that featured a plethora of events in honor of the man himself. The event was put on with the help of Brenda Hernandez of CANS 4 Non-Profits.

Unfortunately, due to inclement weather, several baseball games throughout the week had to be postponed. Keep scrolling for information on make-up games!

Dozens of area businesses and organizations took it upon themselves to donate some incredible gift baskets filled with goodies in order to stock the silent auction. There were baseball cards, DVDs, spa packages, toys, coolers, outdoor items, and much more.

Also on Friday, Greg's BBQ did a "Kitchen Takeover" in the Sports Complex's kitchen, and served up delicious barbeque eats. Me and my girlfriend got to sample Greg's food, which included a St. Louis-style rib sandwich, brisket, coleslaw, and potato salad. Greg is currently operating as a pop-up eatery, but plans on getting a brick and mortar building in downtown Dubuque very soon.

Trust me when I say, that will be a great boon to the food options in the city of Dubuque. Greg's barbeque is no joke. I devoured that rib sandwich in minutes.

I broadcasted from the event from 3 - 5pm. Due to inclement weather throughout the week, the games scheduled for Wednesday through Friday did have to be postponed. CANS 4 Non-Profits and the Dubuque Sports Complex were on the ball when it came to informing people of the changed plans via Facebook:

• Makeup games will be played at 5:30pm this Wednesday (July 19th) and Thursday (July 20th).
• The 50/50 raffle and silent auction have both been extended through then as well, with bids for the silent auction closing on July 21st at 6pm.
• The 50/50 raffle winner will be announced after the 7pm All-Star game on Friday (July 21st). A surprise guest will be singing the National Anthem.
• These games give the teams a chance to make the championship games for later this season too!

The Dubuque Sports Complex is a fitting place to hold this fundraiser in memory of a great community member because Jesse himself was a huge sports fan:

Jesse was an avid sports fan and especially loved cheering on the Iowa Hawkeyes and Los Angeles Dodgers.  Above all he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.  He loved his wife, and high school sweetheart, Heather with all his heart and his three kids were his pride and joy.  Anyone that crossed paths with Jesse knew immediately what a kind, selfless, caring person he was.  He had a contagious smile and the ability to make everyone feel like they were the most important person in the room. - per Jesse Freiburger's obituary

Stay posted on the make-up games and everything else related to "Pack the Ballpark for Jesse" via CANS 4 Non-Profits' Facebook page as well as Dubuque Sports Complex's Facebook page!