MARCELINE, Mo. — The annual Bell Game between Marceline and Brookfield will have a new twist this year as a company from Wisconsin will be performing a special show at halftime.
This year there will be a drone show performed during halftime called the Northern Lights Drone Show.
Marceline Senior Cheerleader Lola Kitchen was able to help set up the show, reaching out to several companies about bringing one to the Heartland.
She contacted a company from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who usually charges almost $30,000 to put on a show, but was going to give the school a discount to just $10,000
After the students came up short of the goal, the drone pilots decided to waive the cost to the school district.
“Lola made such a compelling pitch and it really spoke to our heart, and we just want to come out here and make some really good memories for everyone,” said Drone Pilot Leonor Ortiz. “It’s really nice how everyone in the community is like a family, and they really embraced the Bell Game. It’s very nice to be part of that community.”
The halftime performance will use over 200 drones to put on a 360-degree show and will be viewable inside and outside Chester Ray Stadium.
The performance will be football-themed and highlight both Marceline and Brookfield.
Kitchens and the other cheerleaders are excited for the event, saying that they hope it will help add to the game and add another chapter to the storied rivalry.
“I hope that it puts to perspective that this is such a big deal in these two tiny little towns that we can just have such an amazing halftime show,” Kitchen said.
“It means a lot to me that the community is going to be able to see something and know that we’re still putting just as much effort into our team as we would have 20 years ago,” said Senior Cheerleader Avery Gordon.
