As football season begins, we gear up for an exciting season of ISU Redbird Football and we #BackTheBirds!
Illinois State University is making sure the seven people who died in a plane crash in Bloomington in April aren’t forgotten.
Athletics director Larry Lyons told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin student athletes will be wearing commemorative patches all school year.
“It’s a well-done design,” Lyons said. “Everyone who has seen it likes it.”
ISU will also hold a private dedication for the families of a permanent memorial being set up outside Redbird Arena. It’s scheduled to be completed by Sept. 12.
“To give the families a place to come that’s hopefully comforting, hopefully peaceful, hopefully accessible to try to honor a legacy,” Lyons added. “This was a significant event for this community.”
The families will also be on hand for a moment of silence before the football home opener on Sept. 12 which happens to have been the birthday of Aaron Leetch, one of the seven victims.
The seven men were from the NCAA Basketball Tournament in Indianapolis on April 7 when their plane crashed in Bloomington about two miles from Central Illinois Regional Airport. Scott Bittner, Andy Butler, Jason Jones, Aaron Leetch, Terry Stralow, Torrey Ward and pilot Tom Hileman were all killed.
Redbirds are on the road this weekend and for the first time since 2010, they will play a Big Ten Conference opponent, when they take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2015 season opener on Saturday, Sept. 5. The game will be broadcast live on The Big Ten Network, and Redbird fans have several locations to choose from to watch with fellow ISU supporters on game day.
Here is a complete list of locations to watch the Redbirds take on the Hawkeyes in the 2015 season opener:
Bloomington/Normal:
Alexander’s Steak House
1503 E College Ave
Normal, IL 61761
(309) 454-7300
Famous Dave’s
1603 Morrissey Dr.
Bloomington, IL 61704
(309) 664-0044
Buffalo Wild Wings
603 S. Main Street
Normal, IL 61761
(309) 808-4444
3220 E. Empire Street
Bloomington, IL 61704
(309) 661-8027
Joe’s Station House
305 S. Veterans Parkway
Normal, IL 61761
(309) 452-5637
Joe’s Pub
3907 G.E. Road
Bloomington, IL 61704
(309) 808-0744
Hy-Vee Market Grille
1403 N. Veterans Parkway
Bloomington, IL 61704
(309) 663-3062
Pub II
102 N. Linden Street
Normal, IL 61761
(309) 452-0699
Times Past Inn
1216 Towanda Ave.
Bloomington, IL 61701
(309) 828-8312
Tony Roma’s
1607 Jumer Dr.
Bloomington, IL 61704
(309) 662-2525
Reality Bites
414 N. Main St
Bloomington, IL 61701
(309) 828-1300
Elroy’s
102 W. Washington St
Bloomington, IL 61701
(309) 828-0142
By: Faith Rinker
