ROCKINGHAM — A gesture of kindness from one of the largest sporting venues in Richmond County is helping one of the smallest athletic teams at Richmond Senior High School.
Rockingham Dragway presented the Richmond wrestling program with a donation Monday. Presenting the check at the dragway was co-owner Dan VanHorn, who delivered it to junior wrestlers Konner Gardner and Hayden Smith.
The donation was for $250, which head coach Andre’ Ellerbe said “means a lot to our program.”
“This was a great gesture by Rockingham Dragway,” Ellerbe commented. “It shows that businesses in the county like the dragway care just as much about smaller sports programs as they do the big ones.
“It’s evident that Dan (VanHorn) and Rockingham Dragway are all about the students who are coming through Richmond. We are very gracious for this donation and will put it to good use.”
Ellerbe added that funding is always a “point of contention” in high school athletics, especially the past couple of years with wrestling as tournament costs continue to rise.
“Luckily we have had some amazing donors step up and make sure that we get to go tournaments and get some of the equipment we need in order to get our team to the next level,” Ellerbe shared.
Any funding the team receives goes toward tournament costs, mats, uniforms, headgear and mouth pieces, and team meals, among other needs.
Richmond will wrestle on its home mat Wednesday against Mid-South Conference opponents Hoke County and Overhills high schools. It’s also senior night, which will start at 5 p.m.
