Cook County Honors Oak Park River Forest Wrestling Team

The Cook County Board and the county’s Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) honored a group of students and coaches from the Oak Park River Forest High School wrestling team during the county’s monthly board meeting today. More than two dozen students and coaches were on hand to represent the wrestling team while a resolution was read highlighting the students’ efforts to assist the town of Washington, Ill. after it was devastated by a tornado on Nov. 17, 2013. 

The Oak Park River Forest Huskie wrestling program began collecting donations of food and clothing to give to families in Washington soon after the tornado cut a 3.5 mile path of destruction through the town. On Nov. 24, 100 members of the program, including 80 students, descended on Washington to help residents recover. 

Coaches, students and their families helped recover personal items like pictures and keepsakes from the more than 1,000 damaged and destroyed homes in the community. They also helped with overall clean-up efforts. 

“Good sportsmanship encompasses the ideas of fairness, respect and a sense of fellowship,” said Michael Masters, DHSEM executive director. “These students put into action what they have learned in practice and through competition. This has prepared them for much more than athletics. They have shown themselves to be good neighbors and good leaders.” 

“I am certain that this team will have many fond memories of their experiences in high school and as wrestlers,” added President Preckwinkle. “I believe when they look back to their experiences on November 24, 2013, they will find them to be some of the most impactful and meaningful of all.” 

For more information, media may contact Natalia Derevyanny at 312.603.8286 or natalia.derevyanny@cookcountyil.gov. 

The Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management integrates first responders, their departments and resources from 134 Cook County municipalities, and serves as the central agency in Cook County for coordinating efforts to prevent, protect against, mitigate the effects of, respond to and recover from all incidents, whether manmade or natural. For more information, visit our website at www.cookcountyhomelandsecurity.org.