Wheeling H.S.’s ‘Fight Night’ to benefit charities
Wheeling High School’s clubs, Boxing and DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America, a marketing association for students) are proud to host the third annual Contenders for Courage Fight Night 7 p.m. Friday, June 10, in the school gymnasium, 900 S. Elmhurst Road.
Wheeling High School students, matched by weight, gender and skill, will engage in three-round exhibition-boxing bouts, with each round lasting one minute. Proceeds from the night will be contributed to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois and the Countryside Association.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
The mission of Countryside Association for People with Disabilities is to advocate on behalf of persons with disabilities and their families and to support them in their efforts to live and work successfully in their chosen community.
This event seeks to link strong bodies: the “Contenders” in the ring, with strong wills: the “Courage” of those fighting life-threatening medical conditions and disabilities.
Last year’s event, featuring 38 fighters in 12 male bouts and 6 female bouts, raised over $2,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. That $2,000, combined with another $3,000 raised by the DECA Club this school year, will fulfill a “wish.”
Katie McCallum, development manager of External Events for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois, will be on hand to accept a $5,000 check from Wheeling High School’s Boxing and DECA Clubs. Rick Wrona from the Countryside Association board of directors, and Rob Wrona, former Wheeling High School student and current Countryside client, along with Judy Bott, Friends of Countryside board member, and Jean Bott, current Countryside client, will be on hand to help present bout awards and accept a check on behalf of the Wildcat Boxing Club.
Over 50 students have trained up to six days a week from March through Fight Night to prepare for this event. The boxing ring will be assembled center-court in the gymnasium, with seating available both on the floor and in the bleachers. The bouts will be officiated by a qualified referee and supervised by Wheeling High School athletic trainers and coaches. The coaches anticipate 15 bouts, seven female and eight male.
According to Mike Burke, Wildcat Boxing sponsor and coach, “This year I’m continually thrilled by the intensity of our female fighters; these ladies — also in debate, choir, dance, art, swimming — are incredibly multi-talented and tough. Their work ethic pushes the male fighters as well. Fight Night will be an entertaining evening for a very worthy cause.”
“We involve the spectrum of Wheeling students: from freshman through senior; from all-state debate member to auto-club fanatic to state champion Step Team member,” Burke added. “This activity crosses all social boundaries.”
Wheeling High School is currently to be the only public high school in Illinois with an in-house boxing club. Tickets are $5, available at the door and in advance at the school.
The Contenders for Courage concept, linking boxing and service, is based on the Bengal Bouts at the University of Notre Dame. Burke fought in the Bengal Bouts from 1980 to 1982. His daughter Kristin, a coach for this event, fought in the Baraka Bouts, the female version of the Bengal Bouts, from 2006 to 2009.
For information contact Burke at (847) 718-7311 or michael.burke@d214.org or John Kritek, DECA Advisor, at (847) 718-7307 or john.kritek@d214.org.