The friendly competition brings together Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers fans in an effort to support local first responders.

HUDSON, Wis. — For the second year in a row, Green Bay Packers fans claimed victory in the second annual Border Battle Tug of War charity event along the St. Croix River. It was a best-of-three match, with Packers fans winning the first two pulls. 

The friendly competition brings together Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers fans ahead of the rivalry football game in an effort to support local first responders. According to organizers Cory Buettner and Ethan Gilmore, proceeds from the event benefit police, fire and EMT departments on both sides of the river, including Hudson, North Hudson, St. Joseph Township, Stillwater and Bayport.

This year’s event was held on the historic Hudson Toll Bridge in downtown Hudson, Wisconsin, after organizers said the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) denied them a permit to host the event on the Stillwater Lift Bridge, where it took place last year. KARE 11 reached out to MnDOT about its decision and is awaiting a response.

Buettner and Gilmore estimate 200 or so people attended the event on Sunday, including 50 rope pullers and approximately 150 spectators. Buettner said the event raised roughly $8,000. Sixty percent of the proceeds will go to first responders on the winning side, with the remaining 40 percent benefiting the other side, he added.

“First responders are the heroes in our community that run toward danger. Everybody’s running away and they’re running to it,” Buettner said. “Those are just our community members, our friends, our neighbors, that help us out when there’s problems, and we want to respect, of course, we respect them, but we also want to encourage them and know that they have our support.”

Gilmore said he was inspired to create the event last year to support local businesses during a slower time of year while raising money to support first responders. He and Buettner said the competition will return next year, with the location depending on the NFL schedule and permit approvals.