Old Town Academy Surprise Dedication of Its Sports Field Honors Alicia and Tony Gwynn
On November 14, 2014, while meeting to reward its student participants for their own hard work and dedication during the annual Jog-a-thon to raise funds for the school, the Old Town Academy surprised the community with the dedication of its sports field in honor of San Diego Icons Dr. Alicia and Tony Gwynn. Emceed by Chris Celentino, chair of the Board and co-founder of Old Town Academy, and Bridget Celentino, chair of the Jog-a-thon, the presentation was attended by Dr. Alica Gwynn, Tony Gwynn’s widow and life-long partner; the couples’ children, Tony Gwynn, Jr. and Anisha; Tony’s long-time agent and friend, John Boggs, and the Padres Friar and members of the Padres Pad Squad.
The ceremony began with Anisha’s stirring rendition of the National Anthem, followed by “America the Beautiful” by the OTA Student Choir. The unveiling of the sign commemorating the Gwynn Family was followed by words from Dr. Alicia Gwynn:
“To have something named after the both of us, you know, I feel like it’s the beginning of keeping Tony’s legacy alive also,” said Dr. Gwynn. “So it really made me feel like, you know, that the community really appreciates the both of us and the family,” said Dr. Gwynn, who holds a doctorate in Christian education. Celentino, a friend of the Gwynn family, said “…if you really knew Tony Sr. and you really wanted to honor him, you would name the field the Alicia and Tony Gwynn Field, as they were life-long partners.”
After the unveiling, Bridget Celentino — with the assistance of the Gwynns and members of the Pad Squad, delivered medals and prizes to the students for their fund-raising for the Jog-a-thon, which raised over $30,000 to supplement the field trip budget at OTA. “It was an honor for all of us to be part of this special day,” said Bridget Celentino. “The Gwynns are such good role models for our children — they do things right, and we are honored to be part of their legacy,” she concluded.
Category: Local News
