Organizer Carl Miller thrilled with donations
It’s called Weigent Park. And, in a few weeks, there will be a statue there honoring the Central High School teacher, coach and administrator.
Babe Weigent spent decades in those roles at Central, ending in the 1970s.
Carl Miller organized getting a statue at the park and he was thrilled with the donations.
“Some would send $25, $75,” Miller said, “but one of them donated $12,000 and several of them $1,000 and two or three of them $5,000.”
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Surveying the layout one day, Miller was reminded why the statue is needed.
“We’re standing by the park and some little kid came by and asked, ‘Who’s this Weigent guy?'” Miller recalled. “And I said, ‘See guys, nobody knows who he is anymore.'”
Getting a statue has been more than a decade in the planning. Monday, crews set in place the cast concrete base that will hold the statue. Next, it’s a slab of granite and then the statue before a dedication in early July during a Central reunion for all ages.
“One person said, ‘My mother taught with him. Not only was he a coach, a teacher and athleitc director, he was also a friend to all,'” Miller said.