New track and field to be named for Jennings family

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GREENVILLE — The new Track and Field Complex near Harmon Field, to be named – The Jennings Center Track and Field Complex – will begin construction this Spring.

On Friday, the Jennings family: Brad and Alex and their children Madeline and Gavin along with Brad’s brother Steve, wife Beth and their children Emma, Christian and Collin presented a $800,000 donation towards the Friends of Harmon Field’s $1.3 million track construction project during half-time of the varsity football game.

“The Friends of Harmon Field committee members and the Greenville City School Board are honored to have Brad Jennings and his family forever memorialized by naming Phase 1 [of the project] the Jennings Center Track and Field Complex. The Jennings’ generous donation will serve this community for generations to come and is a catalyst for the entire project,” read a statement from the Friends of Harmon Field committee.

The Jennings family are no strangers to philanthropy, in October 2015, they donated $2.5 million to support the wrestling program at Ohio State University. The gift went towards the building of a new wrestling practice facility to be completed in 2017.

Brad is a 1994 graduate of Greenville Senior High where he played soccer and earned several achievements in wrestling. As a wrestler, he had a career record of 85-20, was a two-time GMVC Conference champion, won six invitational titles, was a two-time district qualifier and a 1993 state qualifier. As of 2003, Brad had the most Nearfalls in a season with 59. He also had 10 pins in less than a minute.

Today, Brad is a franchise partner with Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance and the CEO of Financial Providence Group in Westerville, Ohio.

“I don’t want to forget where my roots came from and I wanted to do what I could to help out Greenville,” said Brad of the donation.

The Jennings Center Track and Field Complex is expected to be completed in the Fall of 2017.

The Friends of Harmon Field is an organization that seeks to modernize the outdoor athletic facilities for Greenville Senior High School. The group wants to provide a new track and field complex north of Harmon Field, make improvements to Harmon Field including turf upgrades, create a new facility for restrooms and locker rooms and renovate or replace the concrete stands, seating and press box at Harmon Field.

According to Dave Ernst, a member of the steering committee, the total cost of the upgrades is about $5 million and they’ve received about $2.1 million in donations and grants so far.

For more information on the project or how to donate, visit www.friendsofharmonfield.com.

The Jennings family made a $800,000 donation towards the Friends of Harmon Field’s $1.3 million track construction project during half-time of the varsity football game Friday.
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_IMG_0507.jpgThe Jennings family made a $800,000 donation towards the Friends of Harmon Field’s $1.3 million track construction project during half-time of the varsity football game Friday.

By Christina Chalmers

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The writer may be reached at 937-548-3151. Join the conversation and get updates on Facebook search Darke County Sports or Advocate 360. For more features online go to dailyadvocate.com

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