Students raising money for Japan wrestling trip

Two Havre High School students are raising money for a chance to visit Japan as part of a cultural exchange wrestling program.

Havre High School students Cameron Pleninger, a freshman, and sophomore Martin Wilke are two of 20 chosen to be part of Team Montana’s wrestling crew that will be in Japan June 20-30.

“We’re going over there and wrestling in Japan and to improve our wrestling,” Pleninger said.

Anyone buying food from Havre’s Pizza Hut Thursday can say they are donating to Pleninger and Wilke’s account and 20 percent of the purchase price will go to the fundraiser.

It takes $2,500 per person to make the trip, Pleninger said, and they have already raised some of that money.

Pleninger said the two of them were asked by Team Montana cultural-exchange chairman Dan Elser to be part of the 20-person squad. The squad is made of wrestlers from all over Montana.

The coaches, wrestlers and others going will first meet in Billings June 19, before departing to Japan, Pleninger said. He said he is looking forward to the trip.