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Former Wisconsin Badgers basketball player and Appleton West alum Brian Butch admits that he doesn’t sleep a lot.
During one of those sleepless periods last week after the EF-3 tornado damaged portions of Appleton, Fox Crossing, Neenah and Menasha, he started thinking about how he could help those affected.
Butch, who lives in Fox Crossing, came up with the idea that would put his skill in running basketball camps to use.
On Aug. 6 at the Community First Champion Center in Grand Chute, Butch – along with current and former high school players, high school coaches and Green Bay Phoenix men’s basketball coach Doug Gottlieb – held a basketball camp for approximately 230 children.
“It was a way that we could teach our kids what our community is about,” the Wisconsin Badgers basketball analyst said. “This is my home. My kids’ pre-school where they went is gone.
“Trying to explain that to my kids as far as the school that they went to, that it’s no longer there, and seeing I don’t want to say fear but the uncertainty of trying to understand what really has happened, I know my kids are going through it. Every other kid is probably going through the same thing with parents trying to figure it out.”
Helping raise funds for tornado relief and giving 230 kids an opportunity to be kids for a couple of hours hit close to home for former Wisconsin Badgers player and Xavier High School alum Matt Ferris.
“My family and I were affected by the tornado,” Ferris said. “We live right on Doty Island, so it’s certainly close to the heart of it. Our house is currently uninhabitable. My wife and kids were home when the tornado came through, so it has a little bit more personal meaning here.”
Ferris, who said when Butch calls and asks for something it’s hard to say no, revealed an amazing text he and the other people helping with the camp got Thursday morning.
“When Brian texted us this morning to say there’s 230 kids signed up, it’s like goosebumps,” Ferris said. “It’s a reason why this Fox Cities community is such a special place to live in. When tragedy and bad things happen, people tend to gather together and rally behind the support. It’s clearly evident here today.”
Gottlieb, who spent considerable time living in Oklahoma and playing basketball for Oklahoma State, sees similarities in the way people in Oklahoma and Wisconsin respond to tragedies.
“I think that Oklahoma and Wisconsin are incredibly similar,” the UWGB coach said. “My kids all say when they come here, they said, ‘It’s like Oklahoma.’
[IMG alt="Brian Butch during the Sweat Equity Basketball Tornado Relief Benefit Basketball Camp at Champion Center in Grand Chute, Wisconsin on Thursday, August 6, 2026.
Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin"]https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-post-crescent/161c00cfa32932f853d3057b69b4997e[/IMG]
"And I was like, yeah, the weather is a little different but the people are the same. Everyone here was raised on similar values and to help your fellow man. Oklahomans are very, very giving people. Wisconsin people are very, very giving people. They understand what it’s about.”
In addition to Gottlieb, other familiar faces helping with the camp included former Badgers Freddie Owens and Max Klesmit, former Phoenix player and now assistant coach Preston Ruedinger, and Wright State-bound women’s basketball player and 2026 Neenah graduate Rowan Klesmit.
“When I saw the text asking if I would like to help out, I absolutely said, ‘Yeah, I’m happy to help,’ ” Rowan Klesmit said.
She said the unity in the local communities is what makes it great.
MORE: Menasha football team returns to practice field in aftermath of tornado
“This camp shows exactly how quickly everyone came together,” she said. “I’m not too surprised because we have such a good community. This turnout is super cool to see.”
Butch wasn’t sure of the final money total the camp was going to raise because numbers were still being totaled, but he estimated it to be close to $10,000.
“It’s absolutely amazing that we put this together in six days to have 200-plus kids in both gyms running a camp where they’re learning, they’re with friends,” Butch said. “What I’m most proud of is that we’re still teaching and using basketball as a vessel to do this.
“Something that we can do is to teach kids, to help kids, to understand that what this is is what our community should be about.”
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Basketball camp for tornado relief shows 'what our community should be about'
Continue reading...
During one of those sleepless periods last week after the EF-3 tornado damaged portions of Appleton, Fox Crossing, Neenah and Menasha, he started thinking about how he could help those affected.
Butch, who lives in Fox Crossing, came up with the idea that would put his skill in running basketball camps to use.
On Aug. 6 at the Community First Champion Center in Grand Chute, Butch – along with current and former high school players, high school coaches and Green Bay Phoenix men’s basketball coach Doug Gottlieb – held a basketball camp for approximately 230 children.
“It was a way that we could teach our kids what our community is about,” the Wisconsin Badgers basketball analyst said. “This is my home. My kids’ pre-school where they went is gone.
“Trying to explain that to my kids as far as the school that they went to, that it’s no longer there, and seeing I don’t want to say fear but the uncertainty of trying to understand what really has happened, I know my kids are going through it. Every other kid is probably going through the same thing with parents trying to figure it out.”
Helping raise funds for tornado relief and giving 230 kids an opportunity to be kids for a couple of hours hit close to home for former Wisconsin Badgers player and Xavier High School alum Matt Ferris.
“My family and I were affected by the tornado,” Ferris said. “We live right on Doty Island, so it’s certainly close to the heart of it. Our house is currently uninhabitable. My wife and kids were home when the tornado came through, so it has a little bit more personal meaning here.”
Ferris, who said when Butch calls and asks for something it’s hard to say no, revealed an amazing text he and the other people helping with the camp got Thursday morning.
“When Brian texted us this morning to say there’s 230 kids signed up, it’s like goosebumps,” Ferris said. “It’s a reason why this Fox Cities community is such a special place to live in. When tragedy and bad things happen, people tend to gather together and rally behind the support. It’s clearly evident here today.”
Gottlieb, who spent considerable time living in Oklahoma and playing basketball for Oklahoma State, sees similarities in the way people in Oklahoma and Wisconsin respond to tragedies.
“I think that Oklahoma and Wisconsin are incredibly similar,” the UWGB coach said. “My kids all say when they come here, they said, ‘It’s like Oklahoma.’
[IMG alt="Brian Butch during the Sweat Equity Basketball Tornado Relief Benefit Basketball Camp at Champion Center in Grand Chute, Wisconsin on Thursday, August 6, 2026.
Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin"]https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-post-crescent/161c00cfa32932f853d3057b69b4997e[/IMG]
"And I was like, yeah, the weather is a little different but the people are the same. Everyone here was raised on similar values and to help your fellow man. Oklahomans are very, very giving people. Wisconsin people are very, very giving people. They understand what it’s about.”
In addition to Gottlieb, other familiar faces helping with the camp included former Badgers Freddie Owens and Max Klesmit, former Phoenix player and now assistant coach Preston Ruedinger, and Wright State-bound women’s basketball player and 2026 Neenah graduate Rowan Klesmit.
“When I saw the text asking if I would like to help out, I absolutely said, ‘Yeah, I’m happy to help,’ ” Rowan Klesmit said.
She said the unity in the local communities is what makes it great.
MORE: Menasha football team returns to practice field in aftermath of tornado
“This camp shows exactly how quickly everyone came together,” she said. “I’m not too surprised because we have such a good community. This turnout is super cool to see.”
Butch wasn’t sure of the final money total the camp was going to raise because numbers were still being totaled, but he estimated it to be close to $10,000.
“It’s absolutely amazing that we put this together in six days to have 200-plus kids in both gyms running a camp where they’re learning, they’re with friends,” Butch said. “What I’m most proud of is that we’re still teaching and using basketball as a vessel to do this.
“Something that we can do is to teach kids, to help kids, to understand that what this is is what our community should be about.”
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Basketball camp for tornado relief shows 'what our community should be about'
Continue reading...
