MANITOWOC, Wis. — As part of their yearly statewide Tailgate Tour, Green Bay Packers stars walked the halls of Lincoln High School in Manitowoc to speak to students about life, determination and kindness.
Sophomore Reilly Blaser said it was inspiring to see the players at her school.
“It meant a lot that they came all the way down here, because we're kind of a smaller town here,” said Blaser. “Just to get to see the players up close… was nice.”
The players answered questions from students about not making excuses, how to deal with adversity and knowing your weaknesses.
Packers offensive tackle, Rasheed Walker, spoke about how important good grades and staying out of trouble are for the students’ success.
“I feel it was important to be a part of the tour,” said Walker. “I really appreciate what the community does for me and my team. So, I feel like that's a necessary for me to set aside some time, just to give back. Just show my fans and show the people some love around Wisconsin.”
Marcela Bonfim is a foreign exchange student from Brazil. She said she was excited about the possibility of the Green and Gold coming to her home country.
“If the Packers go to Brazil, of course, I would be there and it would be so fun,” said Bonfim.
The Packers did not let the students leave empty handed. They threw t-shirts and mini footballs in the packed stands.
Blaser said the Packers left with a lasting message.
“It just shows nothing's out of reach,” said Blaser. “If you want to be that someday, like you can do that because that's where all of them started. So, you can do anything you want.”
Blaser said she liked the fact Packers stars talked to students like they were normal people and kept it real.
The team said that is their goal, as they continue across the state reaching as many fans as possible.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misspelled Marcela Bonfim's name. This has been corrected. (April 10, 2024)