June 10, 2021 at 1:12 p.m.
Akeley VFW Post to host Toys For Troops Comedy Tour Sept. 18
A few years ago, Hansen was having lunch with the Post Commander of the VFW in Ham Lake, Minn., the Post which bears Hansen's father's name, Don Hansen. Don was a member of the 10th Mountain Division during World War II. Don told Scott he and the men in his battalion were very bored, and missed their families and everything American. Before the war Don Hansen was a huge baseball fan, and power hitting first baseman. He had been offered a contract to play in the minors by Bill Veeck, owner of the Milwaukee Brewers. Hansen sent a letter to Veeck, requesting any used baseball bats, gloves, or equipment he could spare, for the homesick American soldiers. Veeck responded by shipping enough new equipment for two full baseball teams to Italy.[[In-content Ad]]Scott told the story to the Post Commander, and said he wanted to do something similar for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, send them footballs, soccer balls, basketball, etc.
Four veterans at the restaurant that day overheard the conversation between Hansen and the Commander. One, who had just come back from Iraq told Hansen it was a great idea, but he explained the soldiers are fine, its' the families they leave behind that is their biggest worry. They worry if their families will have a good Christmas. They also worry they have no way of getting gifts to send home.
That day, Scott decided to use his best resource, comedy, to start the Toys For Troops Comedy Tour. The shows have raised over $100,000 for the Don Hansen VFW Post and other posts in Minnesota.
For more information, contact the VFW in Akeley at 218-652-9229 or go online to www.toysfortroops.org
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