McLean County Times

Illinois State Athletics will hold a gathering on April 7 to mark the 10-year anniversary of a tragic plane crash that claimed the lives of seven men on April 7, 2015. The event will begin at 10 a.m. in front of the Redbird Remembrance memorial, located near the north entrance of CEFCU Arena.

Parking for attendees will be available in lots G53 and G82, with accessible parking reserved in the North circle drive at designated metered spots. The department will hear from Illinois State Director of Athletics Dr. Jeri Beggs and Director of Athletics Emeritus Larry Lyons, along with comments from other special guests.

The annual observance on April 7 honors the memory of Illinois State associate men's basketball coach Torrey Ward, ISU Deputy Director of Athletics Aaron Leetch, Pub II patriarch Terry Stralow, investment officer Jason Jones, Sprint representative Andy Butler, business owner Scott Bittner, and pilot Tom Hileman. These men were remembered for their love of family, ISU athletics, and community involvement.

In remembrance, their families established Project 7, an initiative encouraging people to perform seven random acts of kindness on April 7. Further information on the lives of these individuals can be found at the Redbird Remembrance website, Remembrance.GoRedbirds.com.

Visit GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Athletic Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, and more.