The History of Warpo Charity Benefits, Inc.
and the Warpo Open Golf Tournament
Early 60's - It all started in about 1963, when Warpo's family moved to South Minneapolis and the Incarnation Parish. Being the new kid on the block, Warpo quickly learned that there was only one sure way to make sure he wasn't left out of the day's baseball game - that was to organize it himself. The Harriet Avenue Sandlot League was formed.
Warpo & his new friend, Tom Gillespie need cash. Gillespie opts for shoveling Mr. Traeger's walk for a quarter and offering himself up as a bodyguard for Jimmy Patrick at a rate of 10¢ or one Dilly Bar a week. Warpo, holding all the financial savvy an 8-year-old could possess, organizes neighborhood carnivals and pulls a staggering $8-$14 per event. He has Gillespie operating the rides (pushing the Radio Red Flyer around the garage) and offered the leftover popcorn as payment.
Late 60's - Warpo & Gillespie compete for the seat of Treasurer for the Student Council at Incarnation Grade School. Gillespie wins and (to make the loser feel good) Sister Marie Julia appoints Warpo as the "Head of the Social Committee", which he later interprets as "The Party/Dance Organizer". Our class was the only one in Incarnation's history to be allowed more than two of these functions. And, to this day Treasurer Gillespie has yet to see one penny of the revenues generated from the many parties and dances held at the school. To this day Warpo is trying to reconcile "those outstanding invoices".
Early 70's - There were softball and broomball teams that need organized, and of course the fund raisers to pay for the league fees and uniforms. A small 200 person tailgate party at a Twins game got Warpo introduced some of Bloomington's finest.
