West End Pizza hosts fundraiser for Wounded Warriors program

“Pizza for a Purpose” was the theme of a Sept. 27 event, organized to honor and support the Wounded Warriors at Nebo (WWAN) program. 

West End Pizza Company owners, Janet and Hal Degenhardt, hosted the fundraiser in their sunlit patio where over 100 patrons enjoyed pizza and pasta by donation, along with entertainment provided by country artist Aaron Kothmann.

All proceeds were directed to the WWAN program, dedicated to bringing wounded veterans and their families to the Texas Hill Country for healing retreats.

“My family is ‘all in,’ after two year-long deployments over four years,” said Janet Degenhart, referring to her husband’s service as an officer in the United States Army. “The Fredericksburg community, along with our friends and family, supported us and prayed for my husband’s safe return from the Middle East. This event is our way of paying it forward. Our heartfelt thanks to all who helped organize Pizza for a Purpose, the donors of fabulous prizes and especially to those who attended the event and gave so generously.”

Fredericksburg native Rachel Fikes, joined the festivities as a special guest.

Fikes’ family owns Fikes Family Farms on Tivydale Road. She was in town to visit with family and friends at a wedding and read about the upcoming fundraiser in the Standard-Radio Post.

After graduating from Texas A&M with a degree in agricultural journalism and communications, she enlisted in the U.S Army Signal Corps and did tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. She returned stateside in December 2013 and was named Ms. Texas, United States for 2014. 

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