Local youth will have an opportunity to experience NCAA Division III football and the college game-day atmosphere when Hope College hosts its second annual "Take a Kid to the Game" program on Saturday, Oct. 27.
Hope will be hosting Adrian in an MIAA contest at Holland Municipal Stadium. Kickoff will be 1 p.m.
Adults will receive half-price tickets $2 each) if they are accompanied by children, high school age or younger.
The "Take a Kid to the Game: (TAKG) program is designed to make children the big winners of the day. Kids will find prizes and gifts meant only and especially for them. The first 200 kids through the gates will receive complimentary Hope College pom-pons. A special drawing at halftime will give the kids the opportunity to win an autographed leather football, a Hope College jersey, free registration for the Hope College youth football camp next summer, and much more. And, if they bring their own cameras, kids will be invited on the field after the game to have their pictures taken with Hope players.
"The "Take a Kid to the Game" program is a wonderful opportunity to introduce youth of our community to Hope College football," said head coach Dean Kreps. "This is a great chance for us to gain some new fans."
Of parental interest, free child identification kits, will also be distributed at this game. For the last four years, the American Football Coaches Association has sponsored the National Child Identification Program which provides inkless ID kits for parents to take and store their child's fingerprints at home. This kit remains in the parents' possession and can give authorities vital information to assist them in their efforts to locate missing children.
Tickets for this special game can be purchase at the Hope College athletic ticket office in the Dow Center, or on game day at Holland Municipal Stadium. For more information, call 395-7136.
TAKG is entering its seventh year in the promotion of NCAA athletics and fourth in NCAA football. Sponsored by the NCAA, the program saw a record number of schools (181), including Hope, participate last year.