A year ago the anniversary for Sept. 11 came and went nearly unnoticed on the Eastern campus. However, Eastern athletics has made sure that will not happen again this Saturday.

The Panthers will be playing their opening game for football and a rivalry game against Illinois in women’s rugby. Also, the school will welcome back the new members of the athletic hall of fame.

While many different events will take notice to the fact that their game fell on Sept. 11 this year, only the football team will have the same kind of activity in honor of those who were involved with the tragedy.

In an effort to recognize the emergency workers, those who passed away and who are still affected by the terrorist attack in New York, Eastern will bring in the “Screaming Eagles” 101st Airborne Parachute Team to fly out the game ball to the 50 yard line at O’Brien Field.

“We brought in the 101st (airborne) pretty much out of luck,” assistant athletic director, David Kidwell said. “I had been trying to reach them in the early part of May and was lucky enough to get a hold of them and, at that point in time, they were not booked for Sept. 11.”

The airborne unit is stationed in Fort Campbell, Ky., and has history to the group that can date back to World War II.

They will be flying in on a Blackhawk helicopter and sending a parachuter out with the game ball, which will be delivered to Eastern head coach Bob Spoo and the team captains.

“We’re fortunate in athletics to be a public event that can draw quite a few people in honor of something like this,” Kidwell said. “This allows us to be a facet for people such as the Coles County Fire Department and Police Department to honor the date and be honored by the rest of the fans in attendance.”

The 101st Airborne is a group that goes around and demonstrates their parachuting ability, thus they are doing the halftime demonstration without charge to Eastern.

The football game will also include a halftime exhibition in which both the Indiana State and Eastern bands will play, in unison, the theme songs for each branch of military service.

After the game, as has been the case in past season opening games, a 10 minute fireworks show will provide the closing moments to a busy weekend.

Another facet of halftime will be the honoring of the new members of the Eastern Athletics Hall of Fame, which are named at a brunch before the 2 p.m. rugby game.

One of the members being inducted and honored this year understands, more than most, the issues that surround Sept. 11 and the war in Iraq.

Former Eastern running back Willie High, who was a running back for the Panthers from 1992-1995, recently returned from a six-month tour of duty in Iraq.

At this point in time, now that he is back with his family, he understands the importance of the terrorist events that changed his life.

“There was a time when my life revolved around the game of football,” High said. “Obviously that has changed with my time overseas, and the fact that the football game will be honoring the soldiers that are still in harm’s way is something I am happy about.”

Being in harm’s way is something that High has learned a little something about. Over his six months in Iraq High did not have one set station overseas, instead he moved from post to post.

“Basically what I was doing was going from one ambush to another, to another,” High said. “It was such a weird situation, because if you were to just imagine driving down Lincoln Avenue in Charleston and seeing people on the corner, then the next thing you know those people are shooting at you. That is what it was like in Iraq.”

The streets will be much friendlier for High’s return to campus, and the fact that he will be named to the school’s hall of fame is something that makes the whole day pretty special for the former soldier.

“I’m really looking forward to coming back because that is one part of my life that I miss the most,” High said. “I’ve been back to watch only one game in the last, say, five years, so with everything happening on Saturday I am excited to spend the weekend back at the school.”