N.J. Wrestlers Show Support for Newtown at 33rd Caldwell Tournament
Money and gear donated by teams across the state for family of Sandy Hook victim and his teammates.
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The 33rd Annual Caldwell 8th Grade and Under Wrestling tournament took place on Sunday at James Caldwell High School. The event attracted 335 wrestlers from all over the tri-state area and included state and county champs from various areas. Caldwell had 35 wrestlers compete from ages 7 to 13.
In attendance were 13 wrestlers from the Newtown, Conn. Youth Wrestling Association. Their teammate, Jack Pinto, was a victim of the recent Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
The Caldwell Wrestling Club, co-sponsors of the event along with the West Caldwell-Caldwell Recreation Department, collected donations for the Pinto Family, which exceeded $2,500. Also collected were five boxes of wrestling gear from many of the towns represented to distribute to all the Newtown wrestlers so that they feel the love and support from their wrestling friends in New Jersey.
Donations came from all over New Jersey (Caldwell, Verona, Cedar Grove, West Essex, Scorpions Wrestling School, Kearny, Passaic Valley, Montville, Nutley and many others).
Cedar Grove Coach Mike Brown and the Cedar Grove Wrestling community donated $1,100 dollars as well as a huge box of gear.
Caldwell Wrestling Club President Tom Caravela said he received the following note from Newtown Wrestling Coach Chris Bray after the Tournament.
We had a great day of wrestling today...thank you! Please thank all of those involved for their thoughtful generosity toward the Pinto family & our Newtown Youth Wrestling family. Such kindness to complete strangers is truly overwhelming! We feel our brothers in New Jersey standing next to us.
Local Place Winners in Caldwell 8th Grade and Under Wrestling Tournament
1st:
Kayla Jones
Darren Jones
John Casale
2nd:
Carmen Cecere
Jack Goldbach
Luke Schaffer
Kyle Schaffer
Jerry Jones
Christian Dalla Riva
3rd:
Greg Polone
T
1:53 pm on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
While a little late, I just came across this article. My son was one of the 13 who came down there & I was the one who brought back the 5 boxes of gear given to our club. We can't begin to say thank you enough for the spirit and kindness our wrestling team has been shown from the NJ wrestling community. We always knew wrestling was a special sport but never realized to what extent until we witnessed 1st hand the outpouring of support that followed the tragic events of 12/14. You should know that there are 55 or so kids up here in Newtown running around in Caldwell, Essex, Passaic Valley, Verona and other wrestling clubs sweatshirts, shorts and t-shirts. Your generosity has touched us deeply.
Tim Bartlett
Newtown, CT