Soup supper, bake sale and team shirts raise funds following football player's serious injury
Small communities in South Dakota are known for supporting one another in times of need. Wolsey-Wessington is no exception to that small-town tradition. The community showed up with an abundance of food and big appetites to support Wolsey-Wessington Superintendent and Assistant Football Coach Riley Donovan and his family Friday, Oct. 9.
Donovan's brother, Matthew Donovan, sustained a brain injury while playing in a Mayville State University football game Sept. 19. Matthew was airlifted to Fargo, North Dakota, following a helmet-to-helmet collision. He underwent emergency brain surgery and was placed in a medically induced coma.
Since the accident, Riley Donovan has been making trips to Fargo to visit Matthew and other family members.
To help raise money for the Donovan family's expenses, Wolsey-Wessington School Board member Jamie Flemming and his wife, Libby, organized a soup supper and bake sale fundraiser.
The event took place before the Warbirds' final home football game and Senior Night in Wolsey. Community members donated a variety of homemade soups and baked goods, ranging from chicken noodle and taco soup to scotcheroo bars and brownie cups. Attendees made freewill donations as they enjoyed the delicious spread.
The varsity football players couldn't attend the meal because they were warming up for their game against Iroquois/Lake Preston. However, they found another way to show support for their coach and his family. Players purchased and wore shirts featuring Matthew's name and jersey number, with proceeds also going toward the family's medical and travel expenses.
Donovan expressed his family's gratitude for the community's generosity.
“My family would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who organized, donated, attended, and helped with the soup supper in support of our family,” Donovan said. “The outpouring of generosity and support from you guys has helped us immensely. We are so incredibly blessed to be in a community that has supported us during this difficult time. It is amazing to know how many people are standing behind us, and we cannot thank you enough for all you have done.”
Matthew is expected to move to Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals in Lincoln, Nebraska, which specializes in brain and spinal cord injury rehabilitation.
The Warbird family will continue to cheer on Matthew's recovery as he begins the next part of his journey.
Editor’s note: The True Dakotan welcomes the Warbird Flyer, a student journalism team at Wolsey-Wessington High School. The staff includes Mackenzie Bach, MaryEllen Bobeldyke, Haidyn Bult, Mya Flemming, Preslie Jensen, Landon Jungemann, Arianna Langbehn, Emily Larson, Kailee Offt, Taryn Rainford, Camille Rearick, Bridget Rose, Ciera Stevens, Cooper Timm and Shae Uttecht. The students will share school news, activities and stories from the Warbird community with True Dakotan readers.