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Fundraising football game

Photo submitted by Amanda Cech Volunteers with the United Way of Washington County set up a raffle table at a past United Way Bowl football game. This year’s game will be held at Don Drumm Stadium on Friday.

The Warren Warriors will be looking for redemption on the Marietta Tigers’ home turf in this year’s Al Miller United Way Bowl on Friday night.

This is the sixth year for the fundraising football game, which pits longtime high school rivals Warren and Marietta against one another, alternating who gets the home team advantage. Marietta beat Warren 50-13 last year. This year’s game will be held at Don Drumm Stadium and will be preceded at 6:30 p.m. by a parade of the various nonprofits that United Way benefits.

The sixth year also marks the first year without a pivotal member of the organization, Al Miller, who started the idea and was an instrumental part of the last five bowl games, according to organizer Amanda Cech. Miller died in February.

“He loved this game and we decided to name it in his honor,” Cech said.

The matchup serves as the “kickoff” to the United Way of Washington County’s annual fundraising drive. The goal is to raise $225,000. Cech said the football game has brought in anywhere from $2,000 to $4,500.

“We will have members of the student councils from both high schools go into the crowd to collect money and we will update who is in the lead at the end of each quarter,” she said.

Warren High School guidance counselor Kara Pinkerton, who is also one of two student council advisers, said the students do get excited leading up to the game.

“We encourage them to wear school colors. This year the shirts are going to be blue, and we’re taking donations ahead of time at school if the students want to do that,” she said. “The students always get excited when they get to do something for the community and the rivalry is fun.”

A trophy will be given to the team that wins the game and to the school who raises the most money for the United Way by the end of the game. Marietta won the football game last year and Warren won the fundraising effort.

“It’s a good rivalry; these kids all know each other and their parents know each other,” said Marietta City Schools Athletic Director Rick Guimond. “The United Way is an important group in our community and we want to do everything we can to support them.”

The Tigers are coming off of a win in their first game of the season against Morgan County last week. Guimond said the United Way Bowl is really anyone’s game.

“But we’d really like to keep that trophy,” he said.

Organizations served by the United Way of Washington County are the Betsey Mills Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washington County, the Boys & Girls Club of Washington County, Caring Connection, Cutler Community Center, Ely Chapman Education Foundation, EVE Inc., Marietta Family YMCA, Mid-Ohio Valley Autism Community, Mid-Ohio Valley Fellowship Home, O’Neill Center, Parents & Friends of Hearing Impaired, the Right Path for Washington County, the Salvation Army, the Senior Nutrition Program-Washington-Morgan Community Action, the Washington County Free Clinic and the Washington County Harvest of Hope.

If you go

¯ What: Sixth annual Al Miller United Way Bowl, Marietta versus Warren.

¯When: Friday; United Way agencies parade begins at 6:30 p.m.

¯ Where: Don Drumm Stadium.

¯ Details: A trophy will be given to the team that wins the game and to the school that raises the most money for the United Way of Washington County by the end of the game. If you are unable to attend the game, you may make a donation for your team (Marietta or Warren) by sending a check to the United Way of Washington County, 307LL Putnam St., Marietta, OH 45750 with your preferred team in the memo.

Past winners

2016: Bowl champ-Marietta, Spirit award-Warren.

2015: Bowl champ-Marietta, Spirit award-Marietta.

2014: Bowl champ-Warren, Spirit award-Marietta.

2013: Bowl champ-Warren, Spirit award-Marietta.

2012: Bowl champ-Marietta, Spirit award-Warren .

Organizations served by the United Way of Washington County

¯ Betsey Mills Club.

¯ Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washington County.

¯ The Boys & Girls Club of Washington County.

¯ Caring Connection.

¯ Cutler Community Center.

¯ Ely Chapman Education Foundation.

¯ EVE Inc.

¯ Marietta Family YMCA.

¯ Mid-Ohio Valley Autism Community.

¯ Mid-Ohio Valley Fellowship Home.

¯ O’Neill Center.

¯ Parents & Friends of Hearing Impaired.

¯ The Right Path for Washington County.

¯ The Salvation Army.

¯ The Senior Nutrition Program-Washington-Morgan Community Action.

¯ The Washington County Free Clinic.

¯ Washington County Harvest of Hope.

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