Taverns kick off effort to help Shrine Hospital
The 65th annual Montana East-West Shrine Football Game will be played July 16 in Laurel, and the Montana Tavern Association again will be a part of it.
Longtime MTA member and Shriner John Hayes said participating taverns across Montana are now accepting donations for the Shriners organization. The MTA will make a presentation at the game announcing its total donation, Hayes said.
The game will be televised statewide.
“We hope there's a tailgate party in every bar in Montana,” he said.
The Montana Shrine Bowl is the oldest continuous single-state sponsored Shrine High School All-Star Game in North America and has a long history of distinguished players and coaches. Over the past 65 years, nearly 3,300 of Montana's finest athletes have played in the game.
Every year since 1947, the Montana Shrine Game has been played to raise money and to raise awareness for the expert orthopedic and burn care available, at no cost, at the Shriner's Hospital for Children in Spokane.
Shriners Hospitals for Children is open to all children through the age of 18 regardless of race, creed or color. All treatment is free. No government funds are used.
The game has raised over $1 million for the Shrine Hospital in Spokane.