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Chertow honored for work with kids

September 29, 2008 @ 12:00 AM

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first installment of a four-part series profiling this year's inductees for the Greater Huntington Wall of Fame. Today's profile is on Olympic wrestler Ken Chertow.

Ken Chertow was born Oct. 7, 1966, in Chicago, Ill., the son Dr. Bruce and Janice Chertow.

The family moved to Huntington when Ken was 12. He attended Cammack Junior High, Huntington High School and he graduated from Penn State in 1989. While in school, Ken developed a love of wrestling and was a two-time undefeated West Virginia State Champion, two-time West Virginia Outstanding Wrestler, National High School Champion and Junior World Champion.

He also was a three-time Academic All-American at Penn State and Olympian on the 1988 United States Olympic team in Seoul, Korea. In the past 20 years, he has established himself as a coach at Penn State University and has coached thousands of young wrestlers from ages five through high school.

Ken lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, Laurie, and their children, Emily and Alex. He has established Ken Chertow's Olympian Wrestling Camp for children with an emphasis on anti-drug messages, togetherness, human values and achieving dreams.

In 2007, the National Wrestling Media Association named him the Broadcaster of the Year for his knowledge, analytic ability and communication style for CBS-College Sports Television.

ABOUT THE WALL OF FAME: The Wall of Fame was established in 1986 and includes famous Huntingtonians from comedian Soupy Sales to former Marshall football coach Bob Pruett. It is located inside the Big Sandy Superstore Arena.

EVENT INFO: The induction ceremony will take place Thursday, Oct. 2, at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena. A reception begins at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and ceremony at 8 p.m. Reservations for the event are required. Reservations can be made by e-mailing City of Huntington Foundation President Maxine Loudermilk at loudermilkm@cityofhuntington.com or by calling her at 304-696-5522. Tickets for a corporate table are $1,000 or $500 for a half-corporate table. Individual tickets are $50.

Here's a look at the profile schedule:

Tuesday: Stella C. Fuller

Wednesday: Bob E. Myers

Thursday: David Tyson