Crystal Lake woman’s donation gives food truck company in Fox River Grove a new start after fire
Fox River Grove-based Girl’s Got Balls food truck will be at local festivals and events this summer, thanks to a donation from a Crystal Lake woman who is funding repairs after their truck was damaged from a fire.
Owner Shauna Fetterman started a GoFundMe fundraiser earlier this month as a last attempt to raise enough money to fund the necessary repairs. The truck was in need of an upgraded vent hood with a fire suppression system after a cracked valve leaked propane inside the trailer in September 2022.
To get fire marshal and health department approval to reopen, she needed to upgrade the vent hood with a fire suppression system that costs at least $5,500, Fetterman said.
On top of that, their cooler was breaking and wouldn’t maintain steady temperatures.
After reading about their needs in the Northwest Herald, Crystal Lake resident Donna Vestal decided to step up and donated $5,000.
“If everybody helps everybody else, one person won’t have to do so much,” Vestal said.
With the help of friends, Fetterman was able to get a quote for the vent hood at a lower cost, leaving leftover funds for some other much-needed repairs.
“So we’ll be able to get a new cooler, so we won’t have that issue for a long time to come,” she said. “We’re able to get our plumbing issues fixed within the food truck.”
Vestal has a history of supporting the community through donations and volunteering at places including the Raue Center for the Arts and On Angel’s Wings Pet Rescue and Thrift Store.
“I didn’t have much growing up,” she said. “I just believe in helping where I can help. It’s just one of my quirks.”
Before Vestal’s donation, Fetterman wasn’t sure she could keep her business alive. Now she is already signing up to be a vendor at local events, including Cary fireworks in June and a three-day Fox River Grove festival in August.
“From there on, we’re just beginning to start booking our calendar,” she said.
Fetterman said her gluten-free menu most likely will change for each event and will feature some new recipes never seen before.
“We’re not going to give any secrets away, just yet,” she said.
Fetterman and business partner Carrie Jones appeared on the Food Network show “The Great Food Truck Race” in 2022. The business, launched in 2020, specializes in fried, hand-held foods like mac and cheese balls and caramel buns.
Fetterman called Vestal’s donation “an absolute miracle. If she ever comes to our food truck, she will never have to pay for anything. She gets free balls for life.”