Clarion Area Fall Sports Kickoff And Bonfire To Be Held Next Thursday (August 24th), At The Field Behind The High School

Above photo by Doug Kline

(Article joint produced by CSZ and Event Coordinator Laura Burford and Band Director Sarah Dawson)

The Clarion Area 2023 Fall Sports Kickoff and Bonfire will be held at the field behind the High School, on Thursday (August 24th), starting at 7:30 P.M. This is the event’s fourteenth year.

The newly named Wildcat Marching Band under Director Miss Sarah Dawson and Assistant Director Joyce DiTullio, along with Clarion Singers will open with the Star Spangled Banner. The crowd will enjoy a performance from the Wildcat’s Dance Team, a few songs by the newly named Wildcat Marching Band, consisting of students from Clarion Area, North Clarion and Clarion-Limestone. (Note: During football games, Clarion and North Clarion members will still wear Bobcat uniforms and C-L students will still wear Lion uniforms, with new Wildcat uniforms to premier in 2024. The uniforms will be designed after the Wildcat logo and with the navy/orange color scheme.)

There will be a couple of cheers from our Wildcat Cheer Team then the famous “human tunnel” where we meet all the Bobcat and Wildcat fall sports teams, the Band, the Dance Team and the Cheer Squad.

The night will conclude with the announcement of the winner of the pallet decorating contest (last year’s winner was the Marching Band) and a huge bonfire supervised by our wonderful Clarion Hose & Fire Co #1.

The T-Shirt Cannon will be in full use during the evening.

Doug Klein will emcee again. He is the dedicated voice of the Bonfire and has worked the mic since the event’s inception.

E-Z Dogs is a special venture that allows former Clarion Area student Ezra Brooks, who has Down Syndrome/Trisomy 21 to operate his own business, with the long term goal being to own a food truck, which will provide employment with a fair wage to other special needs citizens. The proceeds from the food cart will go toward helping other organizations in the U.S. and elsewhere, who provide services to individuals with Down Syndrome. 

(SPECIAL REQUEST FROM LAURA: with Mason being a Sophomore, we will need someone to step up to continue the tradition when he graduates and I don’t have kids in the school. Cindy Nellis, taught me the ropes, and I will do the same for the next person.)

(Let’s Go Bobcats and Wildcats!!!! Thanks to Laura and Doug for their photos And thanks to Laura and Sarah for contributing to the article!!)