December 21, 2015Shrine Bowl- Where strong legs RUN so weak legs might walk.

It was a heartbreaking loss for the North Carolina Tar Heels at the 78th Shrine Bowl this past December. After an amazing comeback in the second half with three fake punts and two fake field goals, the Tar Heels were optimistically coming back in the second half. The Sandlappers lead only by two points with a score of, 14-12. However success was short lived when the South Carolina Sandlappers eventually out played their rivals and won the game 21-12. South Carolina has now won 3 years in a row and leads the series with a 44-30-3 record.This bowl game isn’t just about the rivalry of North and South Carolina. It’s about America’s first All Star High School football game supporting and raising funds for the Shriner Foundation. The Shriner Foundation decided to create this bowl game to help raise

funding and awareness for the Shriner’s Hospital for Children. The hospital provides the highest quality of care and specializes in neuromusculoskeletal conditions, burn injuries and other special healthcare needs for children. On December 4,1937 the first bowl game played raised $2,500 for the hospital. Tickets were sold for only one dollar, attracting about 5,000 people.In 2013 the foundation had raised over 1.7 million dollars.With this past bowl able to raise a remarkable $1,537,820 in funding, the foundation has raised over 3 million dollars since the original game. This could not have been possible without the support of the attendees, families, players, coaches and sponsors who all participated to help support this organization’s efforts. One of the main contributors, BI-LO, has been a long standing corporate partner of this event. “BI-LO’s financial investment in this game allows for an enhanced player and fan experience,” stated Justin Simpson, Vice President of Scholastic Sports Marketing. “While helping raise funds for the Greenville Shriners Hospital.”This corporate partnership allows for the placement of the all-star classic to be viewed by a national audience from channels such as, ESPNU/ESPN3 and on the Shrine Bowl radio network , roughly covering 80 percent of the Carolinas. (this maybe worded awkwardly)“This is a true community event with a very storied history that means something to football fans in the Carolinas.” Explains Simpson. Ultimately, the main beneficiaries are the children who receive the hospitals most advanced treatments for an outcome that is life changing.