$46,000 for Special Olympics

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[As the teams of the third annual Special Olympics benefit came onto the field at the Southern Illinois Center Saturday, tournament founder Bill Asbury announced that $46,000 had been donated to the Special Olympics as of Friday night.

The gifts from major sponsors, businesses, the public and revenue from tournament admissions, vendors and concessions raised the total to at least equal last year's donations.

Major sponsors were so inspired by the weekend's outcome that they have pledged to stay onboard in 2013 as the project continues to grow.

Twenty-six teams played in over 50 games during the tournament. The newspaper will publish results as soon as they become available.

Participating teams included the Southern Illinois Dirt Dawgs '99 of Marion; South Illinois Dirt Dawgs Melcher of Marion; Illinois Eclipse of Johnstron City; Hopkins County Heat of Madisonville, Ky.; Southern Illinois of Carbondale; Southern Illinois Dirt Diamons of Du Quoin; the Downtown Rippers of Creal Springs; Southern Express 2000 of Goreville; Dirt Diamonds '98 of Du Quoin; Dirt Diamonds '97 of Sesser; Southern Illinois Lady Bullets of McLeansboro; Centralia Super Sonics of Centralia; Southern Illinois Dirt Dawgs of Woodlawn; Midwest Express of Red Bud; Bluff City Sox of Brighton, Ill.; SI Athletes of Johnston City, Ill.; Southern Steel of Red Bud; Downstate Rippers '96 of Carterville; Southern Illinois Lady Bullets of McLeansboro; Southern Express '96 of Carbondale; Clarksville Patriots of Clarksville, Tenn.; Southern Impact of Du Quoin; St. Louis Fusion; West Frankfort Blitz of West Frankfort; Southern Storm of Benton; and Dream Team '97 of Mayfield, Ky.

The opening ceremony included presentation of the colors by the Boy Scouts, introduction of major sponsors, an inspiring message about the Special Olympics program, a performance by the Du Quoin High School trash can band, solos by Raven Gauch and Brenna Asbury and the ceremonial first pitches from Special Olympic athletes who accompanied participating softball teams onto the field.

Pete Riggio of the Du Quoin Knight of Columbus presented a check for over $800 to Special Olympics of Southern Illinois from monies raised over the year by the K of C.

Softball play continues at the Southern Illinois Center next weekend with a second non-benefit tournament.