Doug Castle Legacy Fund Benefit Features Former Buckeye Football Players

By Maura Teynor

Richland County Foundation President Brady Groves will be the guest speaker at the Doug Castle Legacy Fund benefit dinner Friday, June 23 at 5:30 p.m. at Kingwood Center Gardens, 50 Trimble Road, Mansfield. Proceeds will go to the Doug Castle Legacy Fund of the Richland County Foundation for community grants. Tickets are $45 and are available on Eventbrite https://bit.ly/3N6G5yG.

Former Ohio State Football players running back Antonio Pittman, defensive tackle Doug Worthington and offensive guard Ben Person will be at the benefit dinner to meet and greet guests. Pittman rushed for 2,945 yards from 2004-2006 for the Buckeyes. He now is a Columbus City firefighter. Worthington was a defensive tackle for the Buckeyes from 2005-2010. The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted him in 2010. After the Steelers released him, he went on to play for the following teams: Tampa Bay, Washington, San Diego, and St. Louis. Person was an offensive guard from 2004-2009 and started all 13 games as the Buckeyes played for a national title in 2007.

Since its inception in 2018, the Doug Castle Legacy Fund has awarded three college scholarships to Mansfield Senior High School graduates. This year the Doug Castle Legacy Fund awarded grants to the North End Community Improvement Collaborative for its new community center and to the Blessed to Run Track organization for scholarships for student athletes.  

During the program, three people will be recognized for their service and dedication to the athletic programs at Mansfield City Schools and their names will be added to the Castle Wall at Arlin Field.

Doug Castle was a local educator whose 50-year career spanned all aspects of education in Richland County. He had a special place in his heart for the underdog. When he died of brain cancer his family established the Doug Castle Legacy Fund at the Richland County Foundation to continue his work and honor his life. His wife, Liz; son, Michael, and daughter, Beth, want to support education programs, racial equity and inclusion, mentorship, and community building. 

Doug began his teaching career in 1965 at John Simpson Junior High School and took an active role in coaching football, basketball, and track. Castle retired from Mansfield City Schools in 2000 after years of leadership including as principal of Simpson, and then worked as the Galion Middle School principal for the next five years. For years he was the director of the Mansfield Mehock Relays and then the Gorman Wrestling Tournament. Ohio State University Football Coach Jim Tressel hired Castle to work as an Academic Encourager for the young men on the football team. 

Castle developed an administrative philosophy based on being fair and keeping a sense of humor. He was a staunch believer in disciplining children in a way that would not destroy their dignity or self-respect. He valued every student.

Anyone can donate to the Doug Castle Legacy Fund, click the donate button, and select the Doug Castle Fund. Or you can write a check to the Richland County Foundation and note the fund on the memo line.