Marion Community Day a success
Marion Community Day at Rent One Park was held on Friday, June 24. The Southern Illinois Miners faced off against the Evansville Otters. Numerous Marion area residents and business people showed their community spirit and support for Marion Grad Spree this year by attending the tailgate and game.
The tailgate 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, 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 was 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. "We invited everyone from the Community to come tailgate with us, enjoy some give-aways from local vendors, and participate in a bags tournament. All proceeds from the tailgate and tickets to the game, help support Marion Grad Spree."
The following were vendors at the Tailgate this year:
- AT&T
- Avon - Jennifer Gutierrez
- Bank of Herrin
- Banterra Bank
- Clearwave Communications
- Cool Spoons
- D & C Sheet Metal Heating & Cooling
- Fabick Machinery Company
- Farmers State Bank
- Frontier Communications
- Futiva
- Heartland Regional Medical Center
- Hess Septic
- HireLevel powered by Extra Help
- Illinois Army National Guard
- Inflatable Fun
- Integrity Healthcare of Marion
- McKendree University
- Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management - Lucas Bremer
- Paradise Alley Players
- Pauline King Music
- Pepsi MidAmerica / Crisp Container
- Priority Staffing Group, Ltd.
- Pure Pet
- Re/Max Above and Beyond
- Republic Services
- River-to-River Communities
- SIH Work Care Ready Well
- Susan Willis Photography
- UniQue Personnel Consultants
- Withers Broadcasting
The winner of the Best Business Tailgate Vendor was Futiva, who won use of a suite at the Miners stadium during the 2016 season.
When the first pitch for the game was thrown out at 7:05 p.m. the tailgate ended. 50% of all ticket sales went to the Marion Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Grad Spree program.
The Marion Chamber of Commerce Foundation sponsors Grad Spree, which was started more than 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 following graduation ceremonies. 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.
During the ballgame, sponsors displayed their goods and services on tables throughout the concourse. The following businesses had a table on the concourse during Marion Community Day:
- AT&T
- City of Marion - The HUB
- Clearwave Communications
- Gateway Foundation
- Pauline King Music
- Saluki Screen Repair
- UniQue Personnel Consultants
Thank you to our Marion Community Day program ad sponsors:
- Commercial Janitorial Services
- Farmers State Bank
- Joyner Therapy Services
- LG Architects + Designers
- Unique Personnel Consultants
- US Bank
- Williamson County Tourism Bureau
Marion Community Day is coordinated by the Marion Chamber of Commerce Community Day Committee, which consists of:
- Ashley Gott from Bank of Herrin
- Misty Cobb from Banterra Bank
- Mindy Reid from Banterra Bank
- Robert Tolnai from Clearwave Communications
- Chair Amber Ciochetto from Crisp Container Company
- Matthew Green from D&C Sheet Metal Heating & Cooling
- Brian McHugh from Edward Jones Investments - Brian McHugh
- Jennifer Olson from Farmers State Bank
- Kelly Caudill from Futiva, LLC
- Alisha Shipp from Futiva, LLC
- Michelle Bertinetti with Gateway Foundation
- Jennifer Thurston with GFI Digital, Inc.
- Dalus Ben Avi from the Marion Chamber of Commerce
- Kristin Paul from the Marion Chamber of Commerce
- Lucas Gross with Mayer Branding
- Tracey Glenn from Peoples National Bank
- Zach McGinn with Pepsi MidAmerica
- Gail Barger from Priority Staffing Group, Ltd.
- Suzanne Pierson with Shoe Sensation
- John Brownfield with Southern Illinois Miners
- Jessica Force from Williamson County Government
- Doug Kimmel with the Williamson County Regional Airport
We would like to thank our Major Sponsors:
- Marion Star
- Pepsi MidAmerica
- Withers Broadcasting