The official groundbreaking of the Perry Wrestling Monument Park took place on Feb. 24Among the major accomplishments scored in recent weeks: the official groundbreaking on Feb. 24 ... raising $100,000 of the total goal of $150,000 ... receiving a fundraising challenge to match incoming gifts ... and the announcement of the date for the official public unveiling of the park in May.
Late last month ground was broken on the Perry Wrestling Monument Park. Among those who participated in the event: Dan Hodge himself.
"It's exciting to see this project progress and I assure you there is no other program in the country will have anything like the Perry Wrestling Monument Park," said Chance Leonard, chair of the fundraising effort for the park, and former Perry High wrestler.
Earlier this month, the Perry Wrestling Monument Park reached the $100,000 milestone of its fundraising goal. Perhaps just as significant is how that dollar amount has been achieved.
"On behalf of the Perry Wrestling Foundation, I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has sacrificially given to this great cause," said Leonard. "It is amazing to see the generosity of our community and the commitment to this program."
"This is very much a grassroots effort of the Perry community," Leonard told InterMat. "Our individual donations have been much greater than anticipated. That's a testament to the people of Perry."
Leonard also cited a gift from a local Perry couple designed to encouraging gifts from others within the community.
"I am very excited to announce that Kay and Ben Passow have committed $7,500 for our project," Leonard continued. "But there is a catch. This is a matching donation which means we need to raise an additional $7,500 to receive it. No matter the amount of your gift, whether $1, $100, or $1000, now is the time to give."
Finally, Leonard revealed that the completed Perry Wrestling Memorial Park will be unveiled to the public on Saturday, May 14.
"People will see this thing go from an idea to a truly unique physical project that is, to our knowledge, unique within high school and college wrestling," according to Leonard.
Perry High School can claim one of the most accomplished prep wrestling programs in the entire country. Although the town of Perry, Okla. has only about 5,000 residents, its wrestling program has produced greatness in its more than 90-year history. Among the achievements of the mat Maroons: Two Olympic medalists, forty state championships as well as 162 individual state champs, sixteen dual state titles, and eighteen individuals who have earned a total of 28 All-American honors at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.
Beyond the mat, Leonard cites former Perry High wrestlers who achieved great success after graduating, including a wrestler who served as an ambassador to three nations, two CEOs of major Oklahoma banks, a director of a major on-shore drilling contractor, and a former President of the University of Tulsa.
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