Saggau and Epperly to Kick-Off Summer Iowa Games Opening Ceremony
July 5th, 2010 | Published in Featured, Iowa Games
By Cory Kennedy/Iowa Games
On Friday, July 16, 2010 the Summer Iowa Games Opening Ceremony will begin at 7:45PM inside Jack Trice Stadium in Ames. Bernie Saggau, Katelyn Epperly and Andy Garman are headlining the ceremonies. The Iowa Games Opening Ceremony is free and open to the public.
The Ceremony will consist of a parade of athletes, performances, arrival of the torch, the lighting of the cauldron, and conclude with a fireworks display. Keynote speaker, Saggau, has touched many lives through his many years of teaching, coaching, serving as the Executive Director of the Iowa High School Athletic Association and master mind of the Iowa Hall of Pride in Des Moines.
Epperly, a 2010 contestant on American Idol, will be performing the National Anthem and will perform a couple original songs. Epperly is a 2008 graduate of Valley High School in West Des Moines. Other performances will include a Judo and Hapkido demonstration from the ISU Martial Arts Club, a performance from Basement Beat of Sully, and skydivers. Along with skydivers, the ceremonies will also showcase the 2nd Annual Mascot Race.
Garman, Sports Director at KCCI- TV News Channel 8 in Des Moines, will be the MC for the night. Garman has been keeping the Des Moines area informed on KCCI since 2005 and on the sports talk show on KXNO.
Also included in the evening will be the presentation of the Official of the Year award to Jerrod Kliegel and Thomas Schreurs, and Volunteer of the Year award to John Hayes, both awards are sponsored by Pella Corporation. The 2009 Athletes of the Year Cindy Hauber of Ames and Nate Sickerson of Ankeny will arrive with the Iowa Games torch and light the cauldron, which is the official start of the 2010 Summer Iowa Games. The Brian Pearson Scholarship will also be awarded during the event to Tara Gray from Toledo and Kevin Anderson from Gilbert.
The Iowa Games has events for the whole family, from Finals Fest and the Opening Ceremony to sports for all athletes regardless of age and ability. View all of the Iowa Games sports at www.iowagames.org. If you are not competing in the Iowa Games, we encourage spectators at all of the events and admission is free!
For more information visit www.iowagames.org.