For 73 years, the Shrine Game has been more than just the opening contest of the football season—it has been a symbol of rivalry, generosity, and community spirit. Each fall, Salem Community High School and Centralia High School take the field in what is recognized as the longest-running Shrine Game in Illinois. Nearly 2,000 fans typically turn out, drawn by both the excitement of the rivalry and the higher purpose behind it: raising funds for Shriners Hospital in St. Louis, where children receive life-changing orthopedic care at no cost to their families.

The event is unmistakably community-driven. Salem’s maintenance staff added a new flourish this year by painting giant fez hats—emblems of the Shriners—at each end zone and on both sidelines, a colorful reminder that the night’s purpose reached well beyond the scoreboard. Local Shriners, who work year-round to support the hospital, help make the evening possible and often visit practices to share with students the importance of their mission.

In earlier decades, the connection to the hospital was even more direct. Both Salem and Centralia players would travel to St. Louis before the game, wearing their jerseys to meet young patients and families. Those visits made the charitable mission tangible, impressing upon athletes that their efforts were part of something larger than sport. Though the hospital has since shifted toward outpatient care, the heart of the tradition remains the same: blending competition with compassion.

The Shrine Game also highlights the role athletics can play in shaping character. Service and outreach are built into Salem’s broader athletic culture—programs like “Leadership Through Literacy” send athletes into feeder schools such as Selmaville and Iuka to read with younger students and serve as mentors, ensuring the values of generosity and leadership are passed down alongside school spirit.

Of course, the rivalry remains central. The series alternates each year between Salem and Centralia, and while wins and losses matter to players and fans alike, perspective keeps the purpose in focus. Students are reminded that their participation supports families in need and that the game’s legacy is measured as much by compassion as by the final score.

As head coach, Kevin Greene sees his role less as being in the spotlight and more as a steward of a tradition that belongs to the entire community. Each August, the Shrine Game offers Salem a powerful combination: the roar of Friday night football paired with the quiet assurance that the proceeds will change lives. It is a tradition that renews itself annually, proving that athletics can do more than entertain—they can build bonds, inspire service, and extend generosity well beyond the playing field.