For Immediate Release

January 27, 2006 (Highland Park, TX) — The Highland Park Scots Wrestling Club will be presenting a $3,500 check to the LEAP Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing and enriching the lives of people around the world by providing specialized medical and surgical services. The check will be presented to Dr. Craig Hobar, founder of LEAP, by the 2006 Texas State Dual Championship Highland Park High School Wrestling Team on Saturday, January 27. The presentation will be made during the Scots Super Six Tournament at noon in the Highland Park High School cafeteria, which is located at 4220 Emerson, Dallas, TX 75205.

Founded in 1991 by Dr. Craig Hobar, the LEAP Foundation (www. leap-foundation.org) is comprised of volunteer surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and support staff who dedicate time, expertise and often their own resources to bring free surgical care to children and adults born with facial deformities. The LEAP Foundation medical mission teams bring free medical care to impoverished areas that would not normally have access to the state-of-the-art surgical techniques and specialized care. The LEAP Foundation provides reconstructive surgery to correct cleft lips, cleft palates, congenitally absent ears, and other facial deformities and disfiguring injuries. In addition, volunteer mission teams have included general surgeons, eye surgeons, ocular prosthetics and prosthetic specialists. These individuals enhance the skills of the local medical community and provide medical supplies and equipment to the region.

“So many kids have to grow up with the embarrassment of a facial deformity because they live in a country with little or no surgeons who can perform this type of surgery” said Dr. Hobar. “I am grateful to the Highland Park wrestling community for their support of this volunteer effort. Since many of the expenses for surgery are borne by the volunteers, this contribution will be used for medical supplies and meeting the transportation needs of our volunteers and patients.”

The Scots Wrestling Club has a longstanding tradition of supporting many worthwhile causes, generated primarily by the hard work of the wrestlers, parents and alumni of the Highland Park High School wrestling team. Each year, the wrestling club organizes a 10-mile Fund Run, which then designates a portion of the proceeds to special charities. In 2004, the club and its alumni raised $7,500 for the Jonathan Prigg Fund, which was established to help defray medical costs of a Midlothian wrestler who suffered a head injury. Last year, the Scots Club raised nearly $4,500 for medical and funeral costs for the Ken Buck family, a Dallas-area trainer whose son suffered a rare and fatal bone disease.

“I hope that these acts of faithful charity stay with our young men for the rest of their lives”, said Carl Forsythe, a parent of one of the Highland Park wrestlers. “It would also be great if their actions inspire and encourage others to go beyond the 28-foot circle of the wrestling mat to help those who are in need.”

Media contact:
Wendy Gallatin
(972) 821-6089
wgallatin@comnetcomm.com