
Aug. 9 Big Daddy Benefit will help former MLE principal
By Brenda Erdahl
Eight years ago, Andy Sawatzke was the new guy in town. Maple Lake Schools had just hired him to replace the well-known and much loved elementary principal Kris Harlan who was retiring.
“They took a chance on him,” said Lisa Sawatzke, Andy’s wife of nearly 23 years. “They let him in and took time to get to know him and he felt very welcomed and honored to be part of the community.”
Lisa has always been impressed by how readily her husband was accepted into this small, tightknit community and he in turn loved being in Maple Lake. “It was like his second little family,” she said.
Lisa and Andy and their four children are feeling that love as they struggle through what is probably the most difficult challenge they’ve ever had to face as a family.
On September 7 Andy suffered a stroke. Although improving every day, his doctors have said he’ll likely never be the same again. Today the community of Maple Lake and his hometown of Monticello are rallying behind him and his family.
An army of friends and family have been working together to throw a party to remember on Friday August 9, with all the activities Andy loves – golf, a barbeque, live music and more. Dubbed The Big Daddy Benefit, the event will raise money to help Lisa, Andy and the kids as they continue to face the challenges that lie ahead.
“You know you have friends, and you know you have family, but until you go through something like this you have no idea how amazing those people are,” Lisa said.
The fundraiser starts with an 18-hole golf scramble at the Monticello Country Club followed by a BBQ dinner, silent auction and live music. The golf scramble is already filled up, Lisa said, but there are still tickets available to the other events. Friends have been more than generous in their donations to the silent auction, Lisa said. It will feature items like a one week stay at Andy’s brother Brad and his wife Kim’s Scottsdale home, a 4-night stay at the Grandview Lodge, a four-hour Wright County fishing trip with Al Clark, Minnesota Twins baseball tickets with seats on the lower level and a parking pass, an autographed Timberwolves basketball and much more for a total of 83 items, some of which will be raffled off.