Henderson State Athletics will pay tribute to the Armed Forces as it hosts Military Appreciation Day for Saturday’s football game with Northwestern Oklahoma with kickoff set for 6 p.m. at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium/Ruggles Field in Arkadelphia.
All active and retired military personnel and their immediate family members will be admitted to the game free of charge with the presentation of a valid Military Identification Card.
At halftime, the recipient of Henderson’s Alumni Association Vietnam Veterans Memorial Scholarship will be recognized at midfield. The scholarship will be presented earlier in the day to a Henderson Army ROTC cadet.
In honor of Military Appreciation Day, Command Sergeant Major Roderick D. Hodo will conduct the ceremonial coin toss prior to kickoff.
Command Sergeant Major Roderick D. Hodo is a native of Manchester, Georgia. He joined the US Army as a 13B Field Artillerymen in 1987.
Hodo attended Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. CSM Hodo has deployed ISO Desert Storm, Kosovo Peace Keeping Mission, Operation Enduring Freedom (2) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (2).
Henderson ROTC is also sponsoring the “Reddie Athletic Challenge” which will be held on the Henderson State Quad. Various student-athletes from Henderson’s athletics teams will compete and assist in push-up and sit-up competitions, as well as a one-mile run around campus.
The event will start at 9 a.m. The scholarship presentation will begin at 11:30 a.m.
The Reddies Football coaching staff will wear military camouflage hats during the game.
A limited supply of the hats will be on sale for $20 at the game, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Henderson ROTC program.
In addition, Henderson State University Alumni will once again coordinate a tailgate meal provided by Sodexo for $10 per plate. This week’s menu will include Italian beef on French roll, macaroni & cheese, corn on the cob, chips, cream cheese brownies, sweet tea, lemonade, & water.
The tailgate will be set up at the red alumni tent behind the Duke Wells Center and adjacent to the Formby Athletic Center from 3:30 p.m – 5:30 p.m.
Bouncy houses and inflatables will also be available from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. for kids, and will be located in the east lot of the Duke Wells Center.