It’s never too hard to persuade Wisconsinites to stop by Culver’s, but many discovered on Monday that a ButterBurger tastes even better when it’s for a good cause.
Customers queued up in droves at one of Wisconsin’s 80 Culver’s locations to assist victims and families in the aftermath of the December massacre at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison. Although the exact amount donated by the franchise to the United Way of Dane County’s Abundant Life Christian School Emergency and Recovery Fund is unknown, scenes from across the state demonstrated how generous communities were.
Drive-thru queues ran down Madison’s street, sometimes so long that they hindered traffic flow. Inside the eateries, some customers waited for their food for nearly two hours, conversing with their neighbors, who were often crammed together, and receiving free custard samples.
Heather Gonzagowski, who arrived at the Culver’s on Cottage Grove Road in Madison about 6:30 p.m., waited almost an hour for her food. Despite the commotion, she claimed, no one was complaining.
Many of the stores contacted by the Journal Sentinel shared this sentiment. Stephanie Oliphant, a manager at the Culver’s of Madison on East Towne Boulevard, said the atmosphere was positive despite a “jam-packed lobby and dining room.”
“People normally wouldn’t be happy waiting an hour-and-a-half for their food, but everyone was talking, lots of people knew each other from the community, and everyone was getting along even if they didn’t know each other,” Oliphant told reporters.
As of December 23, the United Way of Dane County had raised more over $114,000 since announcing its fundraising efforts.
Oliphant stated that Monday saw record sales, and the company will donate around $6,000 to the United Way of Dane County fund. It’s noteworthy to Oliphant because many former Culver’s employees attended Abundant Life Christian School. Oliphant stated that the father of a current employee teaches there and was present on the day of the incident.
The Abundant Life Christian School shooting on December 16 killed three people, including the shooter, Natalie L. Rupnow, a 15-year-old freshman known as Samantha. Madison police named the shooting victims as Erin West, a substitute teaching coordinator at Abundant Life, and Rubi Patricia Vergara, a freshman at Abundant Life.
Six additional people were injured in the incident, two of whom are in critical condition. Madison police have yet to identify any of the six nonfatal victims. On December 31, UW Health revealed that the two survivors, each with numerous gunshot wounds, had been improved from critical to fair condition.
Brett, the father of one of the two victims in critical condition, texted the Journal Sentinel Monday night about how “overwhelmingly heartwarming” it was to see so many people brave the long lines. He urged the Journal Sentinel not to publish his full name out of respect for his child’s privacy.
“It’s less about the financial piece for me, and more about the love and support,” Brett told me. “People go to Culver’s and see a large line, but they choose to sit in it because they want to support the school and our families. It’s very charming and lovely.”
Co-founder Craig Culver thanked both the customers who waited hours for their meals and the independent owners and team members for their efforts.
“None of this would have been possible without them,” Culver told the crowd. “We appreciate our guests’ patience at our locations as team members worked hard to deliver the hospitality and delicious food we are known for, all for a great cause.”
Eric Skrum, Culver Franchising System’s director of public relations and communications, said it’s difficult to estimate how much money was eventually raised at this point.
“Because each independent owner-operator will be donating directly to the United Way and the reporting is slow, I don’t anticipate having a number to share any time soon,” Skrum informed the audience.
Shannon Skinner-Roy, assistant general manager at the Madison Culver’s on Mineral Point Road, told the Journal Sentinel that his store, along with the Oregon and Middleton locations, experienced record sales on Monday. Skinner-Roy wasn’t supposed to come in on Monday, but he came anyway to help.
“The vibe yesterday was really great. There was a great sense of purpose, as if we were doing the right thing,” Skinner-Roy explained.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Abundant Life Christian School teachers said they were “overwhelmed” by the outpouring of love.
“Proverbs teaches us that a friend loves at all times, and a brother is born under suffering. This challenging season has undoubtedly demonstrated the truth of that Scripture,” the statement stated. “Yesterday, our Challenger family grew exponentially!”
And it keeps growing. Picking up where Culver’s left off, Mikaela Beske, a managing partner at Texas Roadhouse, said on Thursday that both the east and west Madison locations will donate 100% of their sales to the United Way of Dane County fund.
“In times of hardship, the strength and resilience of a community truly shine through,” Beske wrote in a Facebook post. “We are reaching out to you during a difficult time since our local school, ALCS, has recently experienced an unimaginable tragedy. It is in these moments that we are reminded of the value of working together to help one another.”
