Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois Supports Tornado-Stricken Washington IL High School Panthers Football With Donation

CHICAGO, Nov. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Tornado-stricken Washington, Illinois' emotions went from the highest high to the lowest lows this weekend.  Its Class 5A Washington High School Panthers football team clinched a state semi-final berth on Saturday with a 41-7 victory over University High School.  It was the first time the team and community had made it to the finals since 1985, and the town was overjoyed. 

Then, by 1:00 p.m. the next day, Sunday, the devastation wreaked by an EF-4 tornado left the community shattered, physically and emotionally. "We have a game to play on Saturday in Springfield against Sacred Heart Griffin," said Herb Knoblauch, Washington High School's athletic director. "But both players' and coaches' homes were leveled and now we're just going house to house to see if we can find their equipment."

Such horrific devastation is hard to get away from, but for one brief moment on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in Springfield, the community has an opportunity to do just that.  Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois met with Sacred Heart Griffin High School coach Ken Leonard and committed to provide $2,500 in funding to ensure that Washington Panthers players and their fans can enjoy the big game.  The financial assistance may support charter bus service, food, bottled water, coolers and other necessities.

"They're hurting right now, their lives have been turned upside down," said Mike Mannion, vice president of government relations for Blue Cross, and a Springfield resident.  "We wanted to step up and do what we could to make Saturday's game as normal as possible for the Washington kids."

Knoblauch upon hearing of the Blue Cross funding, said, "My Gosh, that's great news, what a wonderful gesture! The Mid-Illini Conference teams including University High School have really rallied around us, too.  We're very grateful and touched."

And so, no matter the outcome of Saturday's Washington Panthers (12-0) and Griffin Cyclones (12-0) football game, everyone for one afternoon will be a Panthers cheerleader.  On Sacred Heart Griffin High School's website, it reads, Prayers for Washington Panthers from Cyclone Nation."

About Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL)
With 7.6 million members, BCBSIL, a division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, is the largest health insurance company in Illinois. Begun in 1936 in Chicago, BCBSIL remains member owned rather than publicly traded, and is committed to promoting the health and wellness of its members and its communities, fostering greater access to care,  and working to lower the overall cost of care while improving the  health care quality and patient outcomes.

SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois