The Illinois Coaches Association and the Shriners of Illinois will host the 44th annual Illinois High School Shrine Game on Saturday, June 16, 2018, at Tucci Stadium, on the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL. Kick-off is scheduled at 1:00 p.m. The pregame festivities will begin with a fun Walk for LOVE event held at the stadium, starting at 9:00 a.m.
Eighty-eight of the State’s best football players participate in this all-star game, to raise money for Shriners Hospital for Children, the official philanthropy of Shriners International. More information about scheduled events and rosters for both the East and West teams can be found at www.ilshrinegame.com.
Each year at the Shrine Game, two patients from the Shiners Hospital for Children are chosen to be the prince and princess. The princess is Ava Diehl from O’Fallon, who is a patient at the Shriners Hospital in St Louis, MO. The prince is Zack Strand from Bourbonnais, IL, who is a patient at the Shriners Hospital in Chicago, IL. The prince and princess are honorary representatives from each hospital that will benefit from the money raised through the game.
Last year’s event raised nearly $10,000 that went directly to providing outstanding medical care for children, at the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
Our goal is to create a fun and exciting environment for the players, families, Shrine kids, and Shriners and to make this a signature event for the Shriners of Illinois. This year’s game will be aired live on Cities 92.9 which is a part of the Great Plains Media Group. The featured banquet speaker will be Hayden Schaumburg from Watseka, IL. He suffered a spinal cord injury while playing football in high school and was a patient at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Chicago for his rehabilitation.
About Shriners Hospitals for Children®
Shriners Hospitals for Children® is a health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children, by providing pediatric specialty care, innovative research, and outstanding teaching programs for medical professionals. Children up to age 18 with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate are eligible for care. [They] receive all services in a family-centered environment, regardless of the patients’ ability to pay. Visit the Shriners Hospitals website at www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.
The estimated direct economic impact of hosting the Illinois High School Shrine Game in Bloomington-Normal is $92,600.
For more information, please contact Eric Tjarks with the Illinois High School Shrine Game at 217-781-2400 or Matt Hawkins at the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at 309-665-0033.