MONROE - Who would have thought a T-shirt from a Catholic priest would become such a sought-after fashion statement?
"Campion's Champions" - the T-shirts can be seen all over town - in fact, they may be the most popular garment in Monroe, especially among young people.
And they all come from one source: Monsignor Thomas Campion, the founder of the Apostolate to the Handicapped.
Initially, Campion gave the shirts to people who volunteered at the annual Apostolate to the Handicapped events. But over the years, the shirts have made their way to a multitude of people, particularly youth involved in sports and other activities.
Tracy Hamilton, owner of Heartland Graphics, Monroe, has made the shirts for the past 15 years. It's hard to get an exact number as to how many shirts he's made, but he estimates it's close to 40,000.
"We make a couple thousand every year," he said.
Ellen Marti, secretary for the Apostolate to the Handicapped, said high school and college kids wear the shirts with pride.
"They kind of think they were special because they were able to get the shirts," she said. "High school students who really didn't know much about the Apostolate to the Handicapped wanted to help because they wanted to get a T-shirt. It was kind of a club."
Monroe graduates took the shirts with them when they went to college. A college student once told Marti his roommate thought he wore the same shirt every day because he took several of the red and white T-shirts with him to college.
One parent told her he was able to save a lot of money because his son got a new T-shirt every time he helped at the Apostolate dinners.
Pat Bowdish, a 1999 Monroe High School graduate, has been involved with the Apostolate for more than 15 years. He got his first T-shirt when he was in seventh grade. He said he saw lots of the shirts while he attended college at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
"People from other towns wanted to trade shirts with me," he said, with a laugh. "It was amazing how many 'Campion's Champions' shirts you saw."
There is a well-known story, which may or may not be true, that a Monroe resident was once walking down a street in New York City and spotted someone wearing a "Campion's Champions" shirt.
Throughout the years, as students from other schools volunteered to help at the Apostolate events, the shirts have made their way to other communities. The shirts can be seen throughout the county.
The shirts have also made their way to other countries. Foreign exchange students that attend Monroe High School have taken shirts home.
Marti said she's happy to see people wearing the shirts. The shirts remind others of the Apostolate to the Handicapped's mission of helping others, she said.
"Campion's Champions" - the T-shirts can be seen all over town - in fact, they may be the most popular garment in Monroe, especially among young people.
And they all come from one source: Monsignor Thomas Campion, the founder of the Apostolate to the Handicapped.
Initially, Campion gave the shirts to people who volunteered at the annual Apostolate to the Handicapped events. But over the years, the shirts have made their way to a multitude of people, particularly youth involved in sports and other activities.
Tracy Hamilton, owner of Heartland Graphics, Monroe, has made the shirts for the past 15 years. It's hard to get an exact number as to how many shirts he's made, but he estimates it's close to 40,000.
"We make a couple thousand every year," he said.
Ellen Marti, secretary for the Apostolate to the Handicapped, said high school and college kids wear the shirts with pride.
"They kind of think they were special because they were able to get the shirts," she said. "High school students who really didn't know much about the Apostolate to the Handicapped wanted to help because they wanted to get a T-shirt. It was kind of a club."
Monroe graduates took the shirts with them when they went to college. A college student once told Marti his roommate thought he wore the same shirt every day because he took several of the red and white T-shirts with him to college.
One parent told her he was able to save a lot of money because his son got a new T-shirt every time he helped at the Apostolate dinners.
Pat Bowdish, a 1999 Monroe High School graduate, has been involved with the Apostolate for more than 15 years. He got his first T-shirt when he was in seventh grade. He said he saw lots of the shirts while he attended college at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
"People from other towns wanted to trade shirts with me," he said, with a laugh. "It was amazing how many 'Campion's Champions' shirts you saw."
There is a well-known story, which may or may not be true, that a Monroe resident was once walking down a street in New York City and spotted someone wearing a "Campion's Champions" shirt.
Throughout the years, as students from other schools volunteered to help at the Apostolate events, the shirts have made their way to other communities. The shirts can be seen throughout the county.
The shirts have also made their way to other countries. Foreign exchange students that attend Monroe High School have taken shirts home.
Marti said she's happy to see people wearing the shirts. The shirts remind others of the Apostolate to the Handicapped's mission of helping others, she said.