EDWARDSVILLE – On Saturday, August 5, 2017, Friends and family of Collinsville Police Detective Chris Warren came together with Madison County Democrats this weekend in Bat for the Blue, a softball tournament sponsored by the Madison County Democratic Party to raise funds for Warren’s medical expenses in his fight against cancer.
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Warren, a Granite City native and 10-year veteran of the Collinsville Police Department, was diagnosed with Lymphoblastic B cell leukemia in April and has been receiving treatment at the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.
Warren’s wife, Katie, is an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office, where she has served since 2009. When Katie’s colleagues in the office, Assistant State’s Attorney Rachelle Crowe, Lieutenant Carole Presson of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and many others throughout the Madison County Courthouse and Administration building, heard about Chris’ diagnosis, the idea for Bat for the Blue was born.
“Chris and Katie are public servants in the truest sense, and a strong law enforcement family,” Madison County Democratic Party Chair and Circuit Clerk Mark Von Nida said. “Our men and women in blue put their lives on the line to protect our communities every day, and we want Chris and his brothers in blue to know we Democrats have their backs.”
Democrats and Warren’s family and friends stepped up to bat on Saturday, August 5, at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Highland for the tournament. Bat for the Blue raised $20,500 through game sponsorships and registration fees, as well as a silent auction featuring donations and prizes from community businesses.
“It was inspiring to see the community rally around our family, and a reminder that we aren’t fighting this battle alone,” Katie Warren said during the event. “We are both incredibly touched by all the work and enthusiasm that went into making this a success.”
In 2001, Warren started his career with the Granite City Police Department Auxiliary, also working for the Lebanon and Highland Police Departments before landing in Collinsville in 2007, where he serves as a member of the Major Case Squad and Child Death Investigation Task Force.
The Warrens were married in 2016, and have two children, Burke, 17, and Campbell, 15. Since 2007, Warren has coached football for the Troy Titans youth program. Chris and Katie celebrated their first wedding anniversary just days before the April diagnosis.
“When cancer strikes, the last thing you want on your mind is how you are going to pay your bills,” Warren said. “Rachelle, Carole, Mark, and the Madison County Democrats have been there since Day 1, making sure me, Katie, and our kids are able to focus on fighting cancer.”
To donate to the Warren family, please make checks payable to: The Chris Warren Benefit Fund, The Chris Warren Benefit Fund, P.O. Box 1019, Edwardsville, IL., 62025.
