Sights & Sounds from Special Spectators tailgate
September 16, 2016 | Football, General, Softball, Soccer, Wrestling, Hometown Heroes
Special Spectators -- an organization that provides VIP, all-access game day experiences for seriously ill children and their families -- made its annual visit to Memorial Stadium for the Sept. 10 game against North Carolina. Illini student-athletes hosted the visitors for a tour of Memorial Stadium, pregame tailgate, visit to the field during the game and more.
Robert Rosenthal of IlliniBoard.com visited the pregame tailgate and described his observations:
» Full story from IlliniBoard.com
Each year for the past five years I have attended the Special Spectators event at Memorial Stadium. Special Spectators is a national organization that partners with collegiate and professional teams to provide memorable game day experiences for children battling illnesses. If you were at the game, you might remember some of the kids being introduced on the field in the second quarter.
That's just part of their day. There's also a stadium and locker room tour, free tickets to the game (for the children and their families), and a tailgate event in the Grange Grove complete with food and games. The event is organized locally by Richard Williams, who probably hates that I just used his name, Kathy Kaler, Assistant Director of Academic Services, Student Development at Illinois, and community outreach coordinators with Carle Hospital. But they're mostly the background. At the forefront are Illini student athletes.
In the past, I've interviewed families at this event, telling the story of Chance and Lucas and TJ. And last year I told the story of softball player Nicole Evans and the way these kids lit up around her. This year, I didn't want to interview anyone. I just wanted to sit back and observe.
For more photos from the event, please click here.
One of our fave moments from last week's @SpecialFans tailgate: @IlliniSB's Siena Sandoval coaching 'em up in bags! pic.twitter.com/kWnapQfs7r
— Illini Academics (@IlliniIrwin) September 16, 2016
Here, the student-athletes of @IlliniSoccer try their hand at the other futbol. #prettysurethatsagainsttherules pic.twitter.com/SYq6DW0wZJ
— Illini Academics (@IlliniIrwin) September 16, 2016
For a story from Carle.org about one of the pediatric patients who participated in the event, please click here.
Stinky summer becomes fun fall for young patient, his family. https://t.co/Gkc2Eh36Hi @SpecialFans @IlliniFootball pic.twitter.com/gKflSG0PDb
— Carle (@Carle_org) September 13, 2016
