Shriners Chris Witt (left) of Reinbeck and David Buskohl (right) of Lincoln pictured Thursday, July 21, on Broad Street in front of Reinbeck Memorial Building moments before Iowa Shrine Bowl players, cheerleaders, and coaches arrived for the annual Thursday evening hog roast associated with the event. –Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker

The 50th anniversary of the Iowa Shrine Bowl took place this past Saturday, July 23, at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, and as part of the festivities in the days leading up to the historic event, the city of Reinbeck was lucky enough to play host to the annual Thursday evening hog roast.

The Iowa Shrine Bowl has been a tradition since 1972 and features two teams comprised of the top recently-graduated high school football players in the state.

Funds raised from the annual exhibition game benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children – commonly known as Shriners Children’s – in its mission to provide top-notch pediatric care to families regardless of their ability to pay or where they live. Specialty care services offered at Shriners hospitals and clinics include care for orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate.

Shriners David Buskohl of Lincoln and Chris Witt of Reinbeck were front and center Thursday afternoon at the Reinbeck Memorial Building as Shriners from all over the state and country converged in the building’s kitchen and under tents set up in the back alley to prepare several hogs from farmers Dennis and Maria Wiley of Palo.

The Shrine Bowl Hog Roast is usually held each year at Black Hawk County Rotary Reserve Lodge northwest of Cedar Falls, Iowa Shrine Bowl Games general manager Jerry Hoffman told the Sun Courier as he sat at the Reinbeck Memorial Building’s bar Thursday evening ahead of the roast, but the venue wasn’t available this year.

Shriners work to prepare roasted Iowa pork – hogs courtesy of Dennis and Maria Wiley of Palo – under a tent set up behind the Reinbeck Memorial Building on Thursday, July 21, as part of the 2022 Iowa Shrine Bowl Hog Roast. –Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker

“We had scouts out,” Hoffman explained of how Reinbeck was chosen to host for the first time ever. “They looked all over to find a venue. I love the [Reinbeck Memorial Building]. It’s fantastic. It fits what we needed perfectly. The people couldn’t be better to accommodate us.”

As Hoffman sat at the bar, three yellow school busses were leaving the UNI-Dome, he said, with 92 football players, more than 40 high school cheerleaders, and 17 coaches to attend the hog roast.

“They’re all premium football players from all over the state of Iowa,” Hoffman said of those who play in the Iowa Shrine Bowl. “We send out a card in November to every coach in the state asking to [nominate] your very best players. Players are chosen for being outstanding academically, for their community service, for their belief in God, and for their athletic ability.”

Hoffman said Iowa Shrine Bowl participants come away with a better understanding of the Shriners organization and its mission.

“When they leave here, they get a whole different attitude about Shriners. Our goal is to help children nationwide. They find that out and know that. … They [also] meet lifelong friends.”

PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON

Moments after 5:30 p.m., some 92 football players exited the school busses parked in front of the Memorial Building along Broad Street and were greeted by a long line of Shriners – most wearing their iconic fezes.

Halfway through the line Buskohl took his place while Witt was stationed near the building’s entrance — both Shriners heartily shook every player’s hand as they walked by, welcoming them to the town of Reinbeck.

This year’s Iowa Shrine Bowl was played on Saturday, July 23, at UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. No high school football players in the Sun Courier coverage area were part of either team, however, GMG students Jenna Humphrey and Alivea Soukhavong were selected for the 2022 Iowa Shrine Bowl Cheer Team.

Shriner Chris Witt of Reinbeck smiles while modeling one of his many fezes moments before the 2022 Iowa Shrine Bowl players arrived in Reinbeck for the exhibition game’s customary Thursday evening hog roast. This was the first year Reinbeck hosted the event. –Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker

GMG cheerleader Jenna Humphrey (center) greets Shriners in Reinbeck on Thursday, July 21, as she and her fellow 2022 Iowa Shrine Bowl Cheer Team members arrive for the exhibition game’s annual hog roast. –Photo by Soren M. Peterson

GMG cheerleader Alivea Soukhavong (center) greets Shriners in Reinbeck on Thursday, July 21, as she and her fellow 2022 Iowa Shrine Bowl Cheer Team members arrive for the exhibition game’s annual hog roast. –Photo by Soren M. Peterson

Shriner David Buskohl of Lincoln welcomes 2022 Iowa Shrine Bowl players to the town of Reinbeck on Thursday, July 21, for the annual hog roast. -Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker