Football | 10/26/2015 12:47:00 PM

JACKSONVILLE, Illinois – The Illinois College and Knox College football programs will continue their partnership in providing for local charities when the two sides meet on Oct. 31 at IC's England Stadium. This year, the Blueboys and Prairie Fire will be collecting donations for the Jacksonville chapter of Toys for Tots.
 
Fans who are attending the game next week are encouraged to bring new toys (without gift wrapping) to the receiving table in the Bruner Center concourse, where a donation booth will be set up. Monetary donations can also be made at the booth. The donated items will be given to the Jacksonville Toys for Tots charity, which is now in its 34th year.
 
This will be the third year in a row that Illinois College head coach Garrett Campbell and Knox College head coach Damon Tomeo have teamed up to support those in need in conjunction with the yearly football game between the two schools. In 2014, when the game was played at Knox, cans of chicken noodle soup were collected for Galesburg-area charity Blessings in a Backpack, which works to supply low-income schoolchildren with weekly packages containing healthy food options. Two years ago, donations were accepted for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois as well as for Stella's Secret Stash – a charity where children's hats and bows were donated to Luther General Children's Hospital in Chicago.

Kickoff on Oct. 31 is slated for 3 p.m. between the two long-time rivals, who have faced off against each other since 1893. The Prairie Fire will look to defeat the Blueboys for the first time since 2005 as the two teams meet in the Midwest Conference South Division clash.