When Jan (Vestal) and Fred Hegi met the first week of their freshman year at SMU, they probably had no idea that their meeting would lead to a marriage of more than 50 years, two remarkable sons and daughters-in-law (Amy and Peter Hegi and Libby and Brian Hegi), as well as a flock of adorable grandchildren. Over the years the Hegi union has not only provided a wealth of support for North Texas communities through their leadership and generosity, but the couple has also instilled in their children the importance of volunteering and philanthropy.
Just recently the Hegis provided “a generous gift for the Tartan Endowment of the Highland Park Education Foundation,” which “will be partially granted to the HPHS gymnastic program and partially invested in Highland Park Education Foundation’s Sustaining Fund of the Tartan Endowment to support the long-term needs of HPSID.”
According to the Hegi Family Foundation’s Peter Hegi, “This gift recognizes our District’s legacy of excellence and shows our appreciation of the teachers’ and coaches’ commitment to our students and athletes. Our motivation behind this gift is threefold: we’re grateful for the outstanding education we received at Highland Park, the lifelong relationships we cultivated, and the programs, like gymnastics, that give countless HP Scots the ability to represent their school and transform into next generation leaders.”
In appreciation of the donation, the Highland Park Independent School District’s Board of Trustees approved the naming of the new gymnastic facility, the Hegi Family Gymnastic Training Center.
HPISD Board of Trustees VP and liaison to the Highland Park Education Foundation Kelly Walker remarked, “Thank you to the Hegi Family Foundation for its tremendous generosity, and thank you to the Highland Park Education Foundation for its work in bringing this naming opportunity to the board. This gift will build on the tradition of excellence in our gymnastics program and benefit future Scot gymnasts for generations to come.”
Over the years the Hegi family has been a keen supporter of the gymnastic program that “boasts an impressive record of 44 individual State Champion Titles, 32 District Team Championship and one Team State Championship. It was Peter, who graduated from HPHS in 1992, who not only held “the state record to this day of 14 individual State Champion titles,” but went on to captain the Stanford University Men’s Gymnastics team and won two NCAA team titles.
Fred said, “This gift is a perfect fit for the Hegi Family Foundation because it combines our family’s love for the Highland Park schools and community with our gratitude for the impact HPHS gymnastics had on not only our family but also on countless others over the past four decades.”
Located in the basement of the northwest addition of HPHS, the new center opened last fall replacing the old facility that had been used since the program started in 1978.
* Photo provided by Highland Park Education Foundation
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