2013 Key City Clash Gives Back to Local Charity
Dec 4, 2013
DUBUQUE, Iowa - The University of Dubuque and Loras College continued their intense rivalry on the football field in 2013 in the Key City Clash football game. The proceeds from this year’s contest were presented to Opening Doors Maria House – Teresa Shelter. The 2013 donation marks the sixth consecutive year the two schools have given back to the Dubuque community. The schools donated a check of $2,500 to Opening Doors on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013.
“We are honored to be this year’s recipient of the Key City Clash,” commented Ann Lorenz, Development and Marketing Director of Opening Doors - Maria House and Teresa Shelter. “Proceeds from this year’s game will go directly to helping women build life skills.”
Opening Doors is a nonprofit organization that operates Maria House and Teresa Shelter. Homeless women, alone or with children, come to them to help rebuild their lives. They provide goal setting and life skills training which enables residents to take care of themselves and achieve their full potential. Women are dependent when they come in…independent when they leave.
Since 2000, Maria House provides transitional housing, where residents can stay as long as two years. In 2006, they opened Teresa Shelter, offering the same transitional housing, as well as short-term emergency shelter services. The shelter provides emergency housing to about 28 women and children from the greater tri-state area. To date, Maria House and Teresa Shelter have served nearly 1,700 homeless women and children.
The two schools intentionally seek out local non-profits who do not receive the publicity they deserve, but are doing exceptionally good work on behalf of all of the Dubuque community.
The two institutions believe this tradition is one way both schools can give back to the community and model the very best of what it means to be faith-based institutions. Organizations who have received donations from the game are: United Way (2008), Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Eastern Iowa (2009), the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Dubuque (2010), Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque Flood Relief (2011), Riverview Center (2012), and Opening Doors Maria House-Teresa Shelter (2013).
Since Dubuque played a key role in the early development of the state, Dubuque is often referred as "The Key City". The winner of the Key City Clash will be able to proudly display the traveling trophy for the following year at their school. One side of the key is painted blue and white to represent the University of Dubuque while the other is painted in purple and gold for Loras College.
Since Dubuque played a key role in the early development of the state, Dubuque is often referred as "The Key City". The winner of the Key City Clash will be able to proudly display the traveling trophy for the following year at their school. One side of the key is painted blue and white to represent the University of Dubuque while the other is painted in purple and gold for Loras College.
The winner of the annual game gains possession of the "Key to the City". The wooden key presented to the winner each year is six feet in length. Each time one of the schools wins the annual football contest, a three-inch lead "D" or "L" will be added to the key's "chain", stamped with the date of the game.
One of the city's first permanent settlers was a French-Canadian pioneer, Julien Dubuque. He made money from the area's rich lead deposits. Out of respect for the city's namesake, the Key trophy's lead nameplate is etched with each year's score.
2008 - Loras College won 42-6 at Rock Bowl
2009 – Loras College won 43-14 at Chalmers Field
2010 – Loras College won 14-6 at Rock Bowl
2011 – University of Dubuque won 41-16 at Chalmers Field
2012 – University of Dubuque won 45-0 at Rock Bowl
2013 – University of Dubuque won 56-0 at Chalmers Field
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