By ANASTASIA PENCHI
STODDARD, Wis. – A Stoddard woman who was born with “brains too big for her head,” will get some support from the community thanks to a pancake breakfast fund-raiser being held March 1.
Alanna Hulburt, a sophomore focused on pre-med at the University of Wisconsin- Madison, is scheduled to have brain surgery Feb. 13. She is an EMT with Stoddard Bergen Fire Department whenever she is home, and also works for Creamery Creek Senior Living in Stoddard.
Alanna was diagnosed with chiari malformation about four months ago, said her mother, Julie Hulburt, who is also a member of Stoddard Lions Club and founding member of the Stoddard Community Kids Club.
The surgery is supposed to relieve the pressure in her head, which cuts off the circulation in Alanna’s arms at times.
“We try to keep the humor in it,” said Julie Hulburt, who initially organized a Big Brain Chain t-shirt fund-raiser in hopes her daughter would see the community support and not get depressed. “It’s too scary otherwise.”
Alanna and her family moved to Stoddard from Arcadia in August 2023. She was a high school junior at the time, and ended up open enrolling at Onalaska High School to be part of its music program.
“Anytime that she’s around she jumps in and helps,” said Julie Hulburt “My husband (Rob Hulburt) and I tried to instill community service in our family.”
Lisa McCarty, who has lived in Stoddard for 15 years, said she contacted Julie Hulburt after she saw the t-shirt fundraiser to ask if she could help. Volunteers poured in from the Stoddard Lion’s Club, American Legion and Stoddard Bergen Fire Department.
“When you know someone needs something – Stoddard steps up,” McCarty said. “I’m proud to call it home.”
The pancake breakfast fund-raiser will be held from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday, March 1, at the Stoddard American Legion, 414 Broadway St., in Stoddard. There is no cost to attend, but a free will offering is requested to help the family with medical bills.
A second run of t-shirts is also available at Alanna Hurlburt’s Brain Chain Fundraiser 2026 | EDGE Graphics | powered by OrderMyGear.
Stoddard Bergen Fire Chief Brian Lehmann said he really appreciates volunteers like Alanna, who jump right in to help. She was officially certified as an EMT last August, and she fit right in at the department after her first training – last year’s rural disaster drill.
“Their family is just very, very involved in the community,” Lehmann said. ”They’re really good people.”
Anastasia Penchi is veteran writer who spent 13 years as a newspaper journalist and now works as a freelance writer. You may have seen her work in Coulee Region Women’s magazine, the Great Rivers Road blog and Explore La Crosse. Her passions are helping people in poverty and trying to save traditional journalism. She resides in Genoa and is a board member with Couleecap Inc. She can be reached at callmeloislane@hotmail.com.
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