Every year, passionate Redbird fans gather at the Bird Bash to raise funds for the women’s athletics scholarships at Illinois State. The annual event is open to the public and will be held this year on Thursday, April 25, inside Redbird Arena.
The event, which is presented by the Weisbecker Scholarship Fund and Illinois State Athletics, recognizes and celebrates the hard work and dedication of Redbird women student-athletes and raises funds to support their scholarships. Since 2006, the annual fundraising event has raised over $430,000 for Illinois State’s women’s athletics programs.
This year’s event will be hosted by emcee Kendra Haselhorst ’01, a former Illinois State volleyball standout from 1997–2001 and an Athletics Percy Family Hall of Fame member. The cost is $60 per person ($50 of registration is tax deductible) and the purchase of a full table is also available. Registration begins at 6 p.m., with cocktails by Sodexo and hors d’oeuvres provided by Moe’s Southwest Grill, and a silent auction will follow. A formal program will begin at 6:30 p.m., and the silent auction winners will be announced at 7:30 p.m.
Guests will go to a website to bid on over 100 silent auction items at the event. Fans who cannot attend in person may go online to bid after making a $60 donation (same price as an attendance ticket). Additionally, fans will be able to view auction items on the website prior to the event, and bidding will go live before the start of the event. Silent auction bidding will open in early April and close on April 25 at 7:30 p.m. Silent auction items include a basketball autographed by Doug Collins, a Redbird football tailgate package, and other unique Redbird-related experiences and items.
To register for the event, log onto GoRedbirds.com/Promotions and use the promo code BirdBash by April 23. For more information, contact Marianne Riddell at (309) 438-5455 or mriddell@IllinoisState.edu.
