2014 Chicago Football Classic Remains Rooted In Education
Founders, stakeholders, co-sponsors, and well-wishers gathered in front of Soldier Field, 1410 Museum Campus Dr., on Monday to reaffirm the values and generate excitement about the upcoming Chicago Football Classic (CFC). The game will be played between Central State University, hailing from in Wilberforce, Ohio and Morehouse College of Atlanta, Ga., on Saturday, September 20 at Soldier Field football stadium. Kick-off time is 3:00 pm.
The Chicago Football Classic, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to inspire African-American high school and college students through support for programs, initiatives and events that increase awareness of opportunities to achieve educational excellence, according to the group's website. CFC officials say that their events influence students and parents to consider the rich academic and cultural opportunities offered by Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
“We’re doing this game to help our youth understand what life is all about,” said Everett Rand, a co-founder of the CFC. “We’re trying to get everyone involved in the football game and in the communities. We just work for the betterment of the community...we’ve been doing this game for 17 years now and to get it right means we need your support. We need your support to fill this facility to show Chicago and the United States that we here in Chicago have special meaning when it comes to education and opportunities for employment.”
In 1997, Everett Rand, Tim Rand and Larry Huggins and formed the (CFC) as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to encouraging African American youth to achieve their personal best in school and beyond.
“One of the things that we’ve always talked about is this game is more than just about a football game,” Huggins said during the press conference. “Our goal is to raise $150,000 and for that money to go back into the community.”
BMO Harris Bank and Sherman Dodge of Skokie, Ill., are this year's CFC co-title sponsors.
“Supporting education is extremely important to us because it creates a pipeline of employees for us to continue on as a business,” said Corliss V. Garner, Vice President of Commercial Banking at BMO Harris Bank. “We are delighted to be here again and thank you all for all of your support.”
Garner also stated that BMO Harris Bank heavily recruits from Morehouse College. Additionally, the bank will offer financial literacy workshops during the CFC's weeklong celebration.
“We value the Chicago Football Classic Educational Fund for the very reason that you value them, we’re looking at education,” said Ron Collins of Sherman Dodge. “We look forward to filling that stadium with 60,000 people to see several things on display, achievement by people of color, the embrace of the educational process and more importantly making college not just a dream but a destination. Join us.”
For the third year in a row, Sherman Dodge will raffle off a 2014 Dodge Challenger during the game.
According to Huggins, roughly 40,000 spectators attended the CFC and he expects this year their expectations are closer to 50,000 attendees this year.
For additional information and to purchase tickets for the Chicago Football Classic, visit http://www.chicagofootballclassic.biz/index.html or call 773-874-8000 x 4024 or 773-734-1600.
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