INNISFAIL – Wrestling is soon back at the local legion and there is an interesting albeit moving twist.
Calgary-based CanAm Wrestling is hosting a professional wrestling show in the auditorium at the Innisfail Royal Canadian Legion Branch #104 on Friday, June 16 that is also being billed as a fundraiser for Grace Gresos, whose family lost their dream home in a devastating fire on May 16.
“Every community that we go to we try to give back in any way possible,” said Otto Gentile, chief executive officer of CanAm Wrestling. “And when we heard about this (fire) we thought what a better way to help those people out, right? So, we’re going to give five dollars per ticket that's sold.”
Gentile added he’s also been talking to Innisfail’s business community about helping the cause through donations, or a money contribution.
“I'm looking forward to meeting her (Gresos). We're giving her a table for her family up on the stage and we’ll try to make them feel a little bit better by entertaining them for one night,” said Gentile. “We're hoping for the best result that we can get to help the family out and we'll see what happens.”
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As of late last week a GoFundMe fundraising page called, Gresos House Fire Recovery Funds, has raised $5,526 for the family.
Gresos said she’s moved by the kind gestures of support from CanAm and citizens and organizations throughout Innisfail and beyond.
“My family is overwhelmed,” she said of the community generosity since the house fire on May 16.
Gresos said she and her family have since been staying at a friend’s home, and are hoping their house in the Hazelwood Estates subdivision can be rebuilt sometime between nine months to a year from now.
“I told myself, ‘the rain is gone. The rainbow is starting to show up. I told my kids, ‘be patient. We can get there, one step at a time,” said Gresos, the chairperson of the Phil-Can Neighbourhood Association of Innisfail.
As for the wrestling line-up on June 16 Gentile said there will be “five or six” matches for fans to enjoy.
He said there will be four executive experience tables for the upcoming Innisfail wrestling show. Each of them will cost $300. They include seven seats, with each person receiving four drinks.
Gentile said V.I.P. ringside tickets will go for $30, with advance tickets selling for $20, and tickets at the door going for $25.
Since the first wrestling night last August, CanAm has had consistently good crowds of between 150 to 170 coming to the legion’s auditorium.
“We absolutely love Innisfail. We love the way the businesses have supported us,” said Gentile. “We couldn't ask for anything better to be in a town that treats us like we're family. It is just absolutely amazing.”
