"Go for the Gold" Ticket Proceeds Expected to Raise Nearly $700,000 for Illinois' Athletes

NORMAL - Governor Pat Quinn today will visit the 2014 Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games Opening Ceremonies to sign legislation that creates a "Go for the Gold" Lottery ticket to benefit Special Olympics Illinois. Proceeds from this new scratch-off game will provide funding for increased opportunities for Special Olympics athletes across the state. Today's action is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to ensure all people have the opportunity to follow their dreams and reach their full potential.

"Special Olympics Illinois is a treasure to our state and to the many Illinois residents who benefit from their spirit of giving," Governor Quinn said. "We are so proud of our athletes and their determination both on and off the playing field. With this new Lottery ticket, we can help Special Olympics Illinois ensure more of our competitors are able to 'Go for the Gold.'"

"We are incredibly grateful for this new initiative that will allow Special Olympics Illinois to continue transforming the lives of both current and future generations of Special Olympics Athletes," Special Olympics Illinois President and CEO Dave Breen said. "Funds raised from this game will lead to further innovation and program growth, and expand opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities, their families and volunteers throughout Illinois."

Senate Bill 219, sponsored by State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) and State Representative Frances Ann Hurley (D-Chicago), creates the new $2 "Go for the Gold" scratch-off instant ticket. The ticket will be available early next year at 8,200 Lottery retailers across Illinois and is expected to raise nearly $700,000 in its first year for Special Olympics athletes and events across Illinois. The revenue will be used to support athlete training, competitions and programs for present and future Special Olympic athletes. It cannot be used for institutional, organization, or community-based overhead, indirect costs or levies. The new law takes effect immediately.

"Today we are honoring our Special Olympic Athletes by creating the 'Go for the Gold' lottery ticket," Senator Hunter said. "This ticket will raise much-needed dollars to fund statewide training programs and competitions. Some of the money will also help our next generation of Olympians by supporting the Special Children's Charities Fund."

"Go for the Gold" joins the ranks of other Lottery specialty games that raise money for specific causes like Illinois Veterans, the fight against breast cancer, MS research and assistance for people living with HIV/AIDS. "Go for the Gold" tickets have potential prizes of up $20,000, and overall odds of winning a prize will be about 1 in 4.65 tickets.

"Specialty instant games like 'Go for the Gold' are what the Lottery is all about," Lottery Director Michael Jones said. "I'm confident that once this game becomes available, thousands of people will ask for it by name as a way to provide valuable funding for Special Olympics athletes across Illinois. It is a great cause that the Lottery is proud to be supporting it."

A number of the athletes gathered in Normal for this year's statewide Special Olympics competition are leaving this weekend to attend the 2014 USA Games, along with over 3,000 Special Olympics athletes from around the country.

Special Olympics Illinois provides opportunities for more than 21,000 athletes, 40,000 volunteers and thousands more people statewide through 18 Area programs in all 102 counties of the state. Special Olympics began in Illinois with the first games at Chicago's Soldier Field in July 1968. There are now more than four million Special Olympic athletes in 170 countries.

The Special Olympics mission is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

Governor Quinn has been recognized both nationally and locally as a champion for people with disabilities. Two years ago, the Governor launched his Rebalancing Initiative to improve the state's system of caring for those with disabilities and mental health challenges. The initiative has successfully moved hundreds of people with disabilities out of institutions and into community-based care. The Governor has also introduced, fought for and signed the Employment First law that breaks down barriers for people with developmental disabilities to increase opportunities for employment. Just last week, the Governor signed an Executive Order creating the Employment First Liaison who will work with state agencies to develop a five-year plan to improve community integrated private employment outcomes for people with disabilities.

Quad Cities falls behind Burlington in Wild Card race with 5-4 loss

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (June 11, 2014) - The Quad Cities River Bandits scored three runs in the top of the ninth, putting the tying and lead runs on-base before ultimately succumbing Wednesday to the Cedar Rapids Kernels 5-4 at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Cedar Rapids led 5-1 going to the top of the ninth with Hudson Boyd on the mound for his second inning of relief. Boyd gave up a leadoff single to Chase McDonald, who went 2-for-4, walked Ronnie Mitchell and then plunked Tyler White with a fastball to load the bases. However, after falling behind 3-1 in the count on Jon Kemmer, he struck out the Bandits left fielder before getting Brett Booth to fly to shallow left, holding the runners at their stations. Austin Elkins was able to chop a single to right field to score McDonald and Mitchell while putting the tying run on base. After Brett Phillips singled home White to make the score 5-4 and put the lead run on first, Cedar Rapids turned to Todd Van Steensel, who got Chan-Jong Moon to fly out to left to end the ballgame for his sixth save.

The Kernels were able to extend a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning off of Quad Cities reliever Edison Frias. Engelb Vielma and Tanner Vavra each singled to lead off the frame and scored when Chad Christensen pelted a two-run triple to left-center. Mitch Garver, who was 3-for-4 in extending his team-best on-base streak to 20 games, singled to bring in Christensen and make the score 5-1.

Frias came into the game for starter Evan Grills after five innings. Grills (2-2) gave up two runs, one earned, on eight hits in his five frames, scattering eight hits thanks to six strikeouts and no walks.

The two teams began trading runs in the bottom of the first, when Christensen, who finished 1-for-4 with three RBIs, hit a fielder's choice to score a run and give Cedar Rapids the initial 1-0 lead. However, in the top of the second, McDonald, Mitchell and White each singled consecutively, with the latter plating McDonald to tie the game at one. But Jason Kanzler's home run off of Grills to lead off the last of the second gave the Kernels a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish.

Brandon Bixler (4-3) earned the win with three perfect innings in relief of Cedar Rapids starter Fernando Romero, who gave up a run on five hits with two walks and a strikeout in four innings.

The loss dropped Quad Cities to 34-31 and into a three-way tie with Peoria and Wisconsin for third place in the Western Division, a game behind Burlington with four games to play in the first half of the season. Cedar Rapids improved to 28-37 and will start Ryan Eades (3-7, 7.07 ERA) tomorrow against Quad Cities' Adrian Houser (4-1, 3.91) in the rubber game of their three-game series.

UP NEXT: The annual Father's Day Cookout at Modern Woodmen Park is open for reservations until Wednesday, June 11. The package includes a game ticket and all-you-can-eat menu in the Budweiser Champions Club Sunday, June 15. To order any of the River Bandits 2014 ticket plans - with new lower prices - call the River Bandits box office at 563-324-3000. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $40. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

Outfielder notches career-highs with four hits and three runs scored as Quad Cities moves into tie with Burlington for Wild Card

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (June 10, 2014) - Jandel Gustave and Michael Feliz each worked four innings, striking out a combined nine hitters, and Brett Phillips recorded career-highs with four hits and three runs scored in Quad Cities' 6-2 victory Tuesday over the Cedar Rapids Kernels at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The win pushed the River Bandits into a tie with Burlington for the Western Division Wild Card with five games to play in the first half of the season.

River Bandits pitchers did not walk a batter, while their offense lumped enough hits together to score in four different innings, despite being sent down in order in four other frames. Quad Cities starter Jandel Gustave worked the first four innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits with five strikeouts. Michael Feliz (2-1) earned the win in relief, firing four frames with four punchouts while scattering two hits. Chris Cotton worked a perfect ninth for Quad Cities.

Quad Cities struck first, with Phillips leading off the game with a base hit. Chan-Jong Moon then hit a slow groundball to the right side of the mound that Cedar Rapids starting pitcher Aaron Slegers fielded and threw away, allowing Phillips to score from first and Moon to reach third. After Brian Holberton flew out to center field, Chase McDonald, who went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, singled home Moon to make it 2-0 River Bandits.

With Quad Cities leading 2-1, Tyler White and Jon Kemmer each singled to put runners on first and second with two outs in the fourth. Brett Booth then hit a line drive to center that Jason Kanzler misjudged, overrunning the ball and having it roll all the way to the wall. Both White and Kemmer scored and Booth ended up at third with his first triple of the year to increase the River Bandits lead to 4-1.

After Cedar Rapids scored to make it 4-2 Bandits, Brett Phillips lined a triple of his own into right-center field to lead off the fifth, his 10^th three-bagger of the year. Slegers got Moon to ground out to first, but walked Holberton to put runners on the corners. McDonald then laced a single to right to plate Phillips and give the Bandits a 5-2 lead.

Phillips again helped create a run in the seventh. He singled to right and then moved to second on Moon's infield single. On a pitch to Holberton, the River Bandits tried a double steal. Cedar Rapids catcher Michael Quesada fired the ball into left field, allowing Phillips to score from third and put Quad Cities ahead 6-2.

Slegers (5-3) took the loss, surrendering five runs, three earned, on seven hits. He walked one and struck out three. The defeat sent Cedar Rapids to 28-37, while the River Bandits improved to 34-30. Quad Cities will send Evan Grills (2-1, 3.23 ERA) to the mound against Cedar Rapids' Fernando Romero (0-0, 3.60).

A family of four can attend a game for just $57.50, saving 10 percent off nationwide average

DAVENPORT, Iowa. (June 9, 2014) - Affordable entertainment is a signature of the Modern Woodmen Park experience, and recently released statistics from Minor League Baseball show the cost of attending a Quad Cities River Bandits game offers some of the best value for families nationwide.

A family of four can attend a River Bandits game at Modern Woodmen Park for $57.50, which is 10 percent more affordable than the national average of $63.55 for a family to attend a Minor League Baseball game at one of the 160 ballparks in the 14 domestic-based leagues. The price includes parking, two adult tickets, two child tickets, four hot dogs, two sodas, two beers and a program or scorecard.

"Making River Bandits games not just affordable, but an unbeatable value for families is always our goal," said River Bandits owner Dave Heller. "A game at Modern Woodmen Park is one of the best deals in the country, and with our promotional lineup and ticket and concession discounts, the savings and entertainment only get better!"

The River Bandits regularly offer discounts on tickets and concessions, with a different promotion every day of the week. Among the highlights, fans can purchase $2 ticktes and concession items on Markdown Mondays, 2-for-1 tickets and kids eat free on Tuesdays, and $2 drink specials on Thirst-Day Thursdays. IHMVCU members also have 2-for-1 kids ticket specials on Wednesdays, and 2-for-1 for all tickets on Thursdays. Group outings and picnics offer even more savings over the regular admission and concession prices.

Average Cost of Attending a Game

MiLB Class A River Bandits

Adult ticket $7.56 $7.58 $7.00

Child ticket $6.63 $6.60 $6.00

Hot Dog $3.30 $3.30 $2.75 Kids, $3.75 Adult

Soda $3.14 $3.18 $2.75

Beer $5.28 $5.33 $5.50

Program $2.35 $2.39 Free

Parking $2.78 $2.50 $2.00

Family of 4 $63.55 $63.47 $57.50

Ticket prices are based on the most economical fixed seat in a stadium on a typical night at the ballpark

UP NEXT: The River Bandits return to Modern Woodmen Park at 6 p.m. Saturday with a Craig Biggio Bobblehead Giveaway presented by Prairie Farms and FOX18 for the first 1,500 fans. Tickets are available at riverbandits.com. To order any of the River Bandits 2014 ticket plans - with new lower prices - call the River Bandits box office at 563-324-3000. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $40. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.