John Wold ’38 and his wife, Jane, were recognized by the city of Casper, Wyo. on Dec. 13, 2014 for their $1 million donation toward the construction of the Wold Family Arena, an ice rink at the Casper Events Center.
The Wolds were praised by public officials and by Union Athletic Director James McLaughlin and Head Men’s Hockey Coach Rick Bennett, who attended the dedication.
“This represents a lot of dreams for a lot of people,” Wold said of the facility. “Casper deserves a better ice situation than it has had in the past, and this sheet is beautiful.”
Wold said the timing of the new ice is perfect because there is growing interest in hockey both locally and nationally, according to the Casper Star-Tribune. In the past year, Casper has seen its youth team, the Oilers, win an international tournament. The junior-level Western States Hockey League also came to town with the advent of the Casper Coyotes.
John Wold played hockey at Union in 1936 and 1937. A geologist and former U.S. Congressman, Wold and his wife made the lead gift for Union’s Peter Irving Wold Center, the 35,000-square-foot state-of-the-art research and education center. The building is named for John’s father, Peter, who chaired Union’s physics department from 1920 to 1945.
“The Wold Family Arena is a remarkable facility made possible through the generosity of the Wold family and it was an honor to be a part of the dedication ceremony,” said McLaughlin. “The Wold family continues to make a difference in their communities. I see that every day on our campus, and it was great to see the impact they have made on their hometown.”
“The people of Casper and the Wold family were first class,” Bennett said. “It was truly a remarkable experience meeting John Wold and his family. Their hospitality and that of the Casper community was second to none.”
At the ceremony, Bennett presented John Wold with a championship ring to commemorate Union’s 2014 national championship in ice hockey.