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Marion Community Day event a success



To view more photos from Marion Community Day, click here. 

Marion Community Day at Rent One Park was Friday, June 26 when the Southern Illinois Miners faced off against the Washington Wild Things. Hundreds turned out to show their community spirit and support for the Marion Grad Spree program by attending the tailgate party and game.

A new tailgate gathering was offered prior to the game on the gravel parking lot at Rent One Park. The tailgate began at 4:30 p.m. and ended prior to the first pitch at 7:05 p.m. Featuring free food, free drinks, bounce houses, face painting and more, the tailgate had something for everyone in the family. A donation to Grad Spree was asked of those entering the tailgate area.

"It is our goal this year to make Marion Community Day, 'the block party' that no one wants to miss," said Amber Ciochetto, the Chair of the Marion Chamber of Commerce Community Day Committee. 

The following were vendors during the tailgate:

A prize was awarded for the best Business Tailgate Vendor. The winner - Priority Staffing Group, Ltd. - received items donated from John A. Logan College, Extra Help, Silkworm, South Porte Bank, MidCountry Bank, First Southern Bank and Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois and 4 field box tickets for the 7/26 Cardinals game (value of $80-$100 each) and a $100 gift certificate to be used at Ballpark Village.

Nonbusinesses also signed up to be a tailgater. A prize, sponsored by Banterra Bank, was given to the best Friends/Family Tailgater at the Tailgate Party - Amy Arps. The prize included a barbecue/grill gift basket from Banterra Bank that included two tickets to the Cardinals/Braves game on Sunday, July 26 at 1:15 p.m. (free beach towel day at Busch Stadium).

The tailgate included a two-person bag board tournament, which began at 5 p.m. in the tailgate area. The winning team received 50% of the registration fees and a new bag board set, which have been donated by the Hardin County Work Camp and Watermark Auto Group. The bag board tournament was played under tents donated by Murdale True Value, Illinois National Guard and Knights of Columbus. First place went to Kyle Anderson and Tony Stevens on the SI Cornhole team; they won $300 and the 2 donated bag board sets. Here is how the rest of the teams fared: 

  1. SI Cornhole 
  2. Off Constantly - Matt Millikin, John Bauernfeind
  3. Just One More - Sam Stilley, Doug Deaton
  4. The Yacks - Tim Yearack, Brandon Yearack
  5. Bank of Herrin - Mike Hudson, Chris Mezo
  6. Avengers - Aaron Bowling, Cody Simpson
  7. Team Tripp - Rich Tripp, Scott Tripp
  8. Just For Fun - Mark Mezo, Tim Brown
  9. Baggin' & Braggin' - Rob Ebbert, Nathan Bennett
  10. Blood Brothers - Dan Hagler, Ashley Sullivan

During the tailgate, members of the Marion Chamber of Commerce sold tickets for a 50/50 raffle. The winner, Daniel James, won $142 and $10 in lottery scratch-off cards. The 50/50 raised $142 for Grad Spree. 

Tickets to the ballgame were only $8 each and 50% of all tickets sold went to the Marion Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Grad Spree program, raising more than $2,000 for Grad Spree.

The Marion Chamber of Commerce Foundation sponsors Grad Spree, which was started 30 years ago to help insure that graduation is the beginning of a new life, not the end of one. The Chamber provides a night of fun-filled activities at the SIU-C Rec Center, following graduation ceremonies. This past year, graduates (and their guest if they invite one) met in the parking lot of Rent One Park and boarded buses for Carbondale between 11 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. All activities were in a drug-free and alcohol-free environment. Participants were prohibited from leaving the activities and no student drove to the event. Graduates returned to Rent One Park at approximately 4:30 AM. Marion’s 2015 Grad Spree was FREE TO ALL SENIORS and only $10 for one guest. The cost of this event is covered by direct donations and dollars raised at various Marion Chamber of Commerce fundraisers. The event costs approximately $50 per student. 

"Our community is vital to the success of all of our businesses and this is a way for us to say thank you and to continue to support great causes like the Marion Grad Spree," said Ashley Gott, Chair of the Marion Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. 

The pre-game performance and the National Anthem was performed by ArtStarts. Zachary Nave, winner of the Marion Chamber of Commerce/John A. Logan Foundation one year tuition waiver to John A. Logan College, served as the guest announcer for the game. Two girls from Paradise Alley Players participated as Guest Diamond Girls during the game.

During the ballgame, sponsors displayed their goods and services on tables throughout the concourse. Those sponsors were:

The 7th inning included a performance by ArtStarts, the check presentation from the Miners to the Grad Spree program, the announcement of the winner for the Best Business Tailgate Vendor and Best Family/Friends Tailgate Vendor and the winner of the 50/50 raffle (tickets for the raffle will be sold during the tailgate and the game until the 6th inning).

Other sponsors include             and          and   and   .

 

The game concluded with an amazing fireworks display at the ballpark.

Marion Community Day is coordinated by the Marion Chamber of Commerce Community Day Committee, which consists of:

For more information about Marion Community Day, visit marionillinois.com, call the Chamber at (618) 997-6311 or email director@marionillinois.com.