DOWAGIAC — SERVPRO representatives recently announced the inaugural SERVPRO First Responder Bowl will be played at the historic Cotton Bowl Stadium.

The newly renamed bowl is designed to honor the sacrifice and service of the brave men and women who are the first line of defense in local communities like when the unexpected or the unthinkable happens, according to SERVPRO restoration specialists in the Dowagiac area. Kickoff for the event, televised by ESPN, is at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 26, featuring Boston College Eagles and Boise State Broncos.

“It’s a privilege to have the SERVPRO name associated with an event that celebrates the dedication and selflessness of first responders,” said Sue Steen, CEO of Servpro Industries, Inc. “These men and women are true hometown heroes and first on the scene when disaster strikes, helping to save lives and protect property.”

The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl will honor first responders including police officers, firefighters, EMS workers, correctional officers, search and rescue teams, dispatchers, security guards, federal agents, border patrol agents, and military personnel who have specialized training and are the first to arrive and provide help at the scene of an emergency.

Event organizers planned to distribute 10,000 complimentary tickets to verified first responders and their families who sign up at firstresponderbowl.com/first-responders. These complimentary tickets are possible thanks to corporate sponsors like SERVPRO and individual fans who choose to “Sponsor a Responder” with a $15 donation when they purchase their general admission tickets, organizers said.

“The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl is a celebration of the commitment to service demonstrated by the everyday people who willingly put themselves in harm’s way to protect the lives and property of their neighbors,” Steen said. “SERVPRO is honored to have this opportunity to shine a spotlight on all of these hard working first responders, and their families, and to recognize them for the heroes they are.”

Founded in 1967, the SERVPRO Franchise System is a leader and provider of fire and water cleanup and restoration services and mold mitigation and remediation. SERVPRO’s professional services network of more than 1,700 individually owned and operated Franchises responds to property damage emergencies ranging from small individual disasters to multi-million dollar large-loss events. Providing coverage in the United States and Canada, the SERVPRO System has established relationships with major insurance companies and commercial clients, as well as individual homeowners.