Local Businesses Raise More Than $4,000 For Skate Free Charlie

On December 2nd four local Taco John's franchises teamed up to help raise funds and to also remember a Central Minnesotan. 30% of all orders on December 2nd were collected for the Skate Free Charlie Memorial Fund. Yesterday after the morning show the final numbers were in, and you helped raise more than $4,000 in just one day to go towards the memorial fund.

Aaron Holthaus, who is the local franchise owner of the Taco John's in Waite Park, St. Joesph, Sartell, and Monticello presented the check to Charlie's parents Jeff and Erika Boike. In total $4,576.04 was raised across the four Central Minnesota locations.

What was most impressive with the day was the stories and memories that were shared of Charlie of those who stopped by and ate on December 2nd.

I stopped at the Waite Park Taco John's that Saturday, and it was BUSY. While I was waiting for my order inside, the line at the drive-thru never really ended with car after car pulling in and ordering a late lunch or early dinner.

Charlie Boike, who played for the St. Cloud Crush, died in a car crash on December 10th, 2022 on his way home from a hockey game, he was 17. Since Charlie's sudden death, his family and friends created the Skate Free Charlie Memorial Fund to help youth and other Central Minnesotans in memory of Charlie who was always thinking about others.

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If you missed out on the Taco John's fundraiser, you can still donate to the Skate Free Charlie Memorial Fund by going here.