By Cole Hatcher
Everyone is invited to a free pre-game tailgate and Ohio Wesleyan University football game during the Sept. 9 Bishop Backer Fall Community Day at Selby Stadium, 45 S. Henry St., Delaware.
The tailgate will begin at 11 a.m. with Delaware police officers and firefighters and Ohio Wesleyan Public Safety officers grilling up free hotdogs and hamburgers for the community. (Gluten-free and vegetarian options will be available.)
At noon, the Battling Bishops football team will take on the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Falcons in OWU’s first home game of the 2023-2024 season.
As part of the Fall Community Day festivities, Ohio Wesleyan will set up cornhole and other yard games for guests to enjoy. The police department’s Safety Pup and OWU’s Battling Bishop mascots also will be on hand for the celebration, along with the university’s Marching Bishops.
Admission is free, but the event will raise funds through raffles to support the Unity Community Center, 50A Ross St. Delaware. The center is dedicated to “fostering unity in the community through service, hands-on support, social action, and education.”
Fundraisers will include a 50/50 raffle and prize drawings for a TV/sound system and other prizes. Tickets will be $1 each, six for $5, or 15 for $10. The raffles are open to those 18 and older, and the winners, who must be present, will be announced at the start of the football game’s fourth quarter. Downtown Delaware’s Ciao Cafe, Mystic Moon Beauty & Gifts, and Opa Grill and Tavern are providing financial support for the community tailgate.
During the regular season, admission for ticketed OWU athletics events is $5 for adults and $3 for senior citizens, non-OWU students, and children 12 and over. Admission is free for Ohio Wesleyan students with a valid university ID. All-sports season passes also are available for $50 per pass through the OWU Athletics Department. Call (740) 368-3726 or visit battlingbishops.com for more information, including the Ohio Wesleyan’s complete fall athletics schedule.
Photo: Admission to Ohio Wesleyan’s Sept. 9 football game will be free for Bishop Backer Fall Community Day. The day’s celebration will include a free pre-game tailgate with Delaware police officers and firefighters and OWU Public Safety officers. (Photo by Mark Schmitter ’12)
Source: OWU
