December 5, 2000
The Illinois High School Athletic Hall of Fame has received its first corporate financial pledge from Country Companies insurance group.
"We’re very excited about this major contribution. It signals the start of our fundraising efforts," said Don Robinson, Hall of Fame Executive Director and chair of the fundraising campaign. "We anticipate other companies and corporations will follow the lead of Country Companies."
The Hall of Fame, which will be located in Princeton, is being designed to be a "living" facility. It will be used to educate, inspire and honor outstanding achievement. Interactive displays will permit visitor participation, including quizzes on sports memorabilia and technical questions concerning major sports, rules and regulations. The proposed state-of-the-art facility requires a budget of $15 million.
"Our support of the Hall of Fame seems natural given our long-standing tradition of supporting high school athletics," says John Blackburn, Country Companies senior vice president of marketing. "We appreciate the value of healthy competition and sportsmanship among Illinois student athletes. They truly are role models who deserve the recognition they will receive in the Hall of Fame."
Country Companies has sponsored the Illinois High School Association’s telecasts of girls and boys state tournaments for the last 25 years. The insurance group also sponsors the Country Companies Three-Point Showdown, conducted in conjunction with the boys and girls state basketball tournament series.
Construction of the new Hall of Fame facility is planned to start as early as Fall 2001, with a grand opening in 2003. The Hall of Fame has been endorsed by the IHSA Board of Directors, the Illinois Coaches Association, the Illinois Football Coaches Association and the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association.