News Graphic article published on September 29, 2011

Mel’s lollapalooza Tom “Mel’ Stanton pulls off another unbelievable pig roast. Read more...

News Graphic article published on September 20, 2011

A pig roast of Olympian proportions. Annual community event benefits Special Olympics.

It’s cool to be a part of Mel’s Pig Roast. At least based on the number of people who come forward in droves every year to lend a hand to the popular Cedarburgbased fundraiser for Special Olympics.

If they are not offering to loan huge flat screen TVs for airing the Packers games, then they provide a semi truck – and labor – for hauling away tables and chairs after the event. This year American TV will donate two HD TVs for viewing, which will be auctioned off during the event. There are hundreds of other donated items for the auction and raffles as well. Read more...

News Graphic article published on September 28, 2010

Powerhouse fundraiser of piggly proportions. Friendly Packer game get-together has grown into the event of the season.

Begun in 1995 as a get-together for friends to feast on roast pork and enjoy a Packer game on TV, Mel’s Pig Roast has grown into a local charity fundraising powerhouse and a fixture on the community’s fall calendar. This year it added a new page to its story by adding a 5K family fun run/walk to an expanded weekend of activities.

The pig roast, held at the Cedars III in Cedarburg, is the brainchild of Tom “Mel” Stanton and a band of friends. In the early years, the goal was to eat and have fun. But in 1999, the loss of a friend in the group to cancer, and the opportunity to raise some money for a charitable cause close to the deceased, prompted Mel’s team to set out collection buckets. That year $300 was collected. The funds were donated to Ozaukee County Special Olympics. Read more...

News Graphic article published on October 20, 2005

Perhaps Packers will prove positive for pig party. Annual fund-raiser for local charities began with friends gathering for a football game.

Who would have ever thought being a die-hard Cleveland Browns fan would win you friends in Title Town? But, that’s exactly what it’s done for Cedarburg resident Tom Stanton. Well, not exactly. More like, it’s won him pigs.

Since 1995, the Cleveland native has run the now-famous “Mel’s Pig Roast” — Stanton is affectionately known as “Mel” in Ozaukee County — the large Packer party and fund-raiser for Special Olympics and other local charities. The party officially kicked off when Stanton’s friends from The Cedars Bowling Alley approached him to organize a get-together for a Packers/Browns game. Coincidentally, Mel found a friend in fellow Browns season ticket holder Dave Hoffmann from Hoffmann’s Market, who set him up with the man who runs “Just Add Pig.” And, the pig, as they say, was roasted. Read more...