Wrestling Team Packs Rita's

Helping raise money to defray operating expenses, the Westfield High School wrestling team packed Rita's Water Ice Monday night as part of a late summer fundraiser.

The team is not funded entirely by the Board of Education and conducts various money-making events during the course of the year. With Rita's gaining a reputation as a fundraiser-friendly business, the wrestling team and parents partnered with the store to bring in a portion of the night's earnings. Parents and wrestlers were sitting outside the store along Quimby Street in order to sell magnets and raise more money for the team.

"We have all sorts of expenses we need to cover and our school does not cover them," wrestler Brian Henry said.

Debbie Montick-Jennings, a wrestling parent who helped coordinate the fundraiser, said the expenses include match equipment, wrestling mats and the various workout equipment needed for the team. She said the cost of the equipment continues to rise and with the school system strapped by a tight budget, the team takes on the task of funding parts of the program.

The fundraiser brought in a steady stream of residents during the course of the evening. With most sports starting their pre-season training Monday, Montick-Jennings said the day was picked because of the high number of athletes and parents in town. Mayor Andy Skibitsky, whose son, Troy, is a wrestler, and Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz, R-Summit, a friend of Montick-Jennings, joined the festivities. The crowd gathered in Quimby Street to chat and talk about summer activities and the up-coming school year. A minor fender bender on Quimby Street also attracted some attention from the crowd.

Montick-Jennings said the team plans on more fundraisers during the course of the year planned by both the team and the parents. 

"Wrestling has a very committed group of parents," she said. "It is a cohesive group of boys. There is a lot of camaraderie."