BOERNE– A busload of ballers rolled down Main Street Friday afternoon as a local nonprofit lassoed the Brahmas XFL football team to town in honor of local soldiers for Veteran’s Appreciation Day.
Mark Sierra, owner of Compadres Hill Country Cocina, founded the Purple Heart Project after a small event aimed at restoring a sense of camaraderie and community among recipients of one of the nation’s highest military honors took off.
It began with an idea to host regularly scheduled, small gatherings for honorees at Sierra’s eatery. However, word spread, and so did the fledgling organization’s mission.
“The Purple Heart Project honors the service and the sacrifices of our Purple Heart and their families because their families also deal with a lot of the things the veteran does when they come home,” Sierra said.
Around 2 p.m. Friday, a crowd gathered around the Compadres parking lot and lined the walls and tables both inside and outside the restaurant all in support of local vets.
The Purple Heart Project – a family and friend effort spearheaded by Sierra and his wife – hosts events like this connection with the Brahmas to help not only veterans but the families that support them as well.
“We support all veterans from every branch of the military. Not just purple heart recipients but veterans across the board – those that suffer from PTSD, those that need assistance. We provide resources for them but, again, we try to have a lot of brotherhood, camaraderie with our veterans. That’s why we host events like this,” Sierra said.
The San Antonio Brahmas are a newly-formed XFL team – the minor football league – which made an appearance at the Hill Country food spot before taking to the Boerne Independent School District stadium for a practice before the teams’ game Saturday.
Despite having such a short history in the Alamo area, the team’s visit managed to pull fans from down the street and all the way up the Interstate 35 corridor in Austin to Sierra’s digs.
Lee Bolton, an Austin resident, made his way to Compadres for the event with a friend to support the cause and score an autograph or two.
“I think it’s great the Brahmas are doing an event to benefit the Purple Heart (Project),” Bolton said. “I just wanted to come out and do my part to support that and also support small business – even if it’s in Boerne – and meet a few players, get a few autographs and have a good time.”
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