DEDICATED TO CORY. . .
Cory Heubner was a scholar first and an athlete second. He was academically in the top three in his class and known for taking the most rigorous class schedule in order to prepare him for college. Athletically, he was a role model and inspiration to others by his work ethic and pursuit of excellence. Cory was a senior Captain of the CSE Football team, first team, All West Central Conference, a four year letterman, and named to the Illinois High School Association All-State Academic football team. Cory‘s life was cut short as the result of a tragic car accident in December 10, 2005. Because of his love of football and weightlifting, the Heubners established the Cory Heubner Memorial Fund.
Cory was a great role model for all our youth and enjoyed playing in the Dogwood Bowl Flag football tournament events in Quincy. In June, 2006 the first Heuby Bowl was played designed much like the Quincy Dogwood Bowl. It was a full day of 5 on 5 flag football, played by 7 member teams in six different age groups on ten 40 yard fields. The first year there were over 60 teams.
A GREAT BEGINNING. . .
Dwight and Cindy Heubner, the parents of Cory, donated $10,500 of memorial funds from the Cory Heubner Memorial to kick off a fundraising effort to build a weight lifting facility and athletic field restroom at Central High School. Central High School’s new weight room and the athletic field restroom were completed for the 2006 football season. Almost the entire projects were completed with donated funds and volunteer labor.
The need for the expanded weight room primarily was based upon the lack of adequate facilities. A large number of Central students drove outside of the district on a regular basis in order to have access to weight lifting and conditioning equipment that Central did not have. Through the construction of a 36x48 weight room and the purchasing of equipment that met the needs of CHS students, the need for students to travel outside of the district was greatly reduced. By improving the facilities, coaches are better able to monitor and assist student athletes in proper training.
Also linked with this project was the construction of restrooms located by the athletic fields. Portable restrooms were rented every year for baseball and football events, which cost the district around $1400 annually. By building restrooms between the football and baseball field, the unsanitary portable restrooms were replaced by facilities with lavatories that allow for proper hygiene. The district no longer needs to spend taxpayer dollars for renting portable restrooms. THE COMMUNITY GAVE. . .
In only a few months the memorial funds were used to benefit the community that gave. The community continued to give. Funding from the Cory Heubner Memorial and the Heuby Bowl provided the necessary startup funding to get this project off the ground.
The Central Booster Club and the Football Task Force became actively involved in assisting in the needs of the project as well as hundreds of hours of volunteer labor. There were many individuals who worked together to make this a project that will benefit the students and community of Central schools for many years in the future for our children and their children.
There were donated funds from local Lions Clubs, the Booster Club, the Football Task Force, churches, student groups, and other groups and individuals in this community. There was grant funding from Dot Foods and Adams Electric. All in all it was truly a real community project that will benefit our students for years to come. The Panther Pride Foundation served as custodian of cash donations to the project that allowed for donors to take advantage of their tax-exempt status.
The original estimated cost of the project was approximately $200,000 if built without donated funds or volunteer labor. Thanks to donated funds, grant monies, and donated services from individuals or groups the projects were completed with cost just under $80,000. Estimates of these two projects place them valued at almost $240,000. HEUBY BOWL CONTINUES...
As word of this project began to spread, different groups and organizations within the community stepped forward to contribute funds to assist with this project. It soon became apparent that there were a large number of contractors and skilled laborers that wanted to volunteer their time and talents to build something that would benefit the students of our school district. A few weeks after the projects were announced services were volunteered from builders, plumbers, electricians, concrete contractors, architects, and a local lumberyard.
Heuby Bowl is played the first Sunday of June each year and continues to be dedicated to Cory’s high ideals as team members and volunteers raise funds to support Central athletics. While the Heuby Bowl continues on, sadly, Cindy Heubner lost her courageous battle with breast cancer on October 1st, 2009. Cindy was a tireless organizer of the Heuby Bowl and was so proud to see it all come together each June as she knew that Cory would be proud of such an event. As the volunteers, supporters, participants and spectators continue to make Heuby Bowl successful each year, it will mean even more to be honoring the memory of both Cindy and Cory…a mother and son whose dedication to hard work and community will live on through all who make Heuby Bowl possible.
