Belleville High School Wrestling Gets $1K Grant For Equipment

BELLEVILLE, NJ — Wrestlers at Belleville High School will soon have the funds to buy important safety equipment and hygienic wipes and cleaners for the wrestling mat, courtesy of a $1,000 donation from California Casualty.

The funds were part of a $1,000 Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grant. The equipment will help keep Belleville’s wrestlers safe, BHS Coach Joseph Pizzi Jr. said.

According to a statement from California Casualty:

“Belleville High is one of five New Jersey Schools receiving a Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grant this year. The others are Cliffside Park School #3, Manchester Regional High School, Port Norris Middle School and Township of Ocean Intermediate School. The New Jersey schools shared $4,500 and are among 79 public middle schools and high schools in 32 states awarded a total of $83,000 to aid sports programs affected by tight budgets.”

The grant is named for California Casualty Chairman Emeritus Tom Brown, an avid sportsman who believes that teamwork, confidence and sportsmanship help develop high achievers in academics and in life, the company said.

Since its inception in 2011, more than $660,000 has been awarded to some 600 schools across the nation.

Public middle and high schools in the Garden State with an unmet need for a sports program can try for next year; applications for the 2018/2019 California Casualty Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grants are now being taken at www.calcasathleticsgrant.com. The deadline for consideration is January 15, 2019.

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Photo: California Casualty

Caption: From left, Principal Caleb Rhodes, California Casualty’s Alina Fayerman, grant applicant and coach Joseph Pizzi Jr., and Belleville Education Association local President Michael Mignone