Bubba’s Fund is a community-driven initiative dedicated to improving the lives of children in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in memory of Charlie Lonning Weber.

Founded as a donor advised fund of the La Crosse Area Community Foundation, Bubba’s Fund brings together families, schools, nonprofits, businesses, first responders, and local organizations to create meaningful opportunities, improve child safety, and increase access for youth and families throughout our community.

What began as a response to tragedy has quickly grown into a collaborative movement focused on turning compassion into action.

In its first year, Bubba’s Fund helped make La Crosse the first city in the country where all state-licensed childcare centers are equipped with an AED.

Working alongside local partners including 7 Rivers CAPE, The Parenting Place, childcare providers, and emergency response leaders, Bubba’s Fund helped coordinate funding, outreach, education, and AED placement efforts throughout the city.

This initiative continues to serve as a model for how communities can work together to improve child safety and emergency preparedness.

In January 2026, Bubba’s Fund partnered with UWL Women’s Basketball and UWL Athletics to host Charlie’s Kids Fest and Bubba’s Youth Day at Mitchell Hall.

The event welcomed nearly 400 youth participants and their families for an afternoon of games, activities, inflatables, and interaction with more than 90 UWL student-athlete volunteers before a record-setting crowd attended UWL Women’s Basketball later that afternoon.

The event celebrated youth sports, family, community, and the legacy of Charlie Lonning Weber while helping create one of the largest and most energetic atmospheres of the season at Mitchell Hall.

Bubba’s Fund believes meaningful community impact happens through collaboration.

We are incredibly grateful to partner with organizations and leaders throughout La Crosse who continue to help move this work forward, including:

• 7 Rivers CAPE

• Rising Athletes

• Boys & Girls Club of Greater La Crosse

• The Parenting Place

• UWL Athletics

• UWL Women’s Basketball

• The La Crosse Steam

• Local childcare providers, schools, businesses, and community volunteers

Together, these partnerships are helping improve safety, access, opportunity, and support for children and families across our region.

In 2026, Bubba’s Fund partnered with the La Crosse Steam and Northwoods League Softball to launch the inaugural Bubba’s Fund Night at Copeland Park.

The event was created to celebrate youth, families, community partnerships, and women’s sports while helping raise support for Bubba’s Fund initiatives throughout the La Crosse area.

Through complimentary youth tickets, family-focused activities, community engagement, and partnerships with local organizations, the vision is to grow this into an annual summer tradition that brings the community together while supporting Northwoods League softball and expanding opportunities for children in our region.