The Tommy Ellis Memorial Foundation
Welcome to our foundation's website! We are grateful for your support in continuing Tommy's legacy. Together, we can make a difference and honor his memory through our commitment to our mission. Thank you for being a vital part of this journey us.
Our Mission
The Tommy Ellis Memorial Foundation is dedicated to celebrating & continuing the legacy of a man who embodied loyalty, dedication and hard work and who made a profound impact on every life he touched. Inspired by his belief of tough-love and the power of blue collar grit. We aim to empower individuals to realize their potential and embrace the remarkable presence, we committed to using our resources to fund, support and develop programs that build character, foster opportunities and make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who need it most.
Meet the Board
Together as a close-knit group of family and friends, we carry forward Tommy's vision and passion for helping others. Each of us is actively involved in our community, lending a hand to those in need. As proud parents of athletes, we’ve all been touched by Tommy's positive influence in our lives. We stand united in our mission to make a difference for those around.
Stephanie Ellis
President/Treasurer
Co-Founder
BJ Barlow
Board Member
John Holefelder
Vice President
Co-Founder
Maria Bartholetti
Board Member
Tasha Holefelder
Secretary
Co-Founder
Chris Tate
Board Member
Ernie Ellis
Board Member
Nick Nawn
Board Member
Jan Bellace
Board Member
Honoring
Thomas Andrew Ellis
12/15/1980 - 7/1/2024
Click below to learn more about Tommy and his legacy
Holiday Help
-
We were able to help out 5 local families this holiday season. We were able to provide monetary gifts, gift cards as well as gifts. Our goal next year is to at least double this.
-
We provided a local church that gives back to their community by giving them a monetary donation to help them provide their parishioners a nice Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas Dinner and some gifts for the community.
2025 Preston & Steve's Campout for Hunger
Thank you to everyone that contributed to The Tommy Ellis Memorial Foundation canned food drive! Tonight we dropped off 525 pounds of canned goods to The Preston & Steve Camp Out For Hunger event! A special thanks to, Wise Originals, Casey Chiropractic, Iron Workers Bank, Premier Window Tint, Brookhaven Community Center, Blacksheep Wrestling & Sun Valley Wrestling for being our donation drop locations this year!
The Foundation Gives Back
The foundation helped local Delaware County Wrestler from Interboro High School, Franco compete at Worlds
Wrestler Spotlight: Franco Latore
This past summer (2025), Franco Latore showcased his talent and determination on both the national and international wrestling stage. Franco placed 3rd at the Northeast Regional Championships and went 5-2 at the USA Wrestling Junior & 16U Nationals (Fargo), one of the most competitive tournaments in the country. Taking his success abroad, Franco proudly represented Puerto Rico, earning a Bronze Medal at the Pan American Games and qualifying for the Junior World Championships. His hard work, discipline, and passion for the sport continue to inspire those around him. We are incredibly proud of Franco’s accomplishments and look forward to seeing him continue to shine on and off the mat.
Chris Tate
Garnet Valley High School
Emotional Support Teacher
Head Boys/Girls Wrestling Coach
Giving Back
-
After our July 26th Wrestling Tournament we had a good amount of left over food so we were able to donate to a local church to support their Sunday dinner they provide for their community
-
We were able to sponsor a local rec football team to help them purchase new uniforms
-
We were able to help 5 local and very deserving families with holiday help this year
-
We helped our local High School's girls soccer team with off season training in January 2026
1st Annual Tommy Ellis Memorial Foundation Golf Tournament.
Click below for event video - Thank you Jimmy Pro for your amazing footage
The event was held on Monday June 16tht at Rock Manor Golf Course in Wilmington, DE
We had a SOLD OUT event, thank you to everyone who volunteered, donated, sponsored and golfed.
Congratulations to our 1st Place Winners: Local 10
Annual Forever A Vanguard Tournament
July 26th, 2026 we hosted the 2nd Annual Forever A Vanguard Wrestling Tournament at Sun Valley High School in Aston, PA We had over 150 wrestlers registered and hosted two sessions, one for our youth division (K through 8th) and one for our high school division (incoming 9th through 12th). A huge thank you to all of the volunteers and the board for helping to make this event a great success. We had a lot of great wrestling that happened and we hope everyone enjoyed the day as much as we all did. We were also so thankful to have Greg Payne from FOX29 News and Kendell from Gift of Life in attendance to do a follow up story on Tom and his Gift of Life to others.
We Love Our Sponsors
Click on the logo and go visit their websites
_edited.png){kind=small}
_edited.png){kind=small}
3 Deserving Seniors were awarded a $500 Check with 1st Annual Grit Award
-
Sun Valley Football Player (also Wrestler) - Danny Digan
-
Sun Valley Wrestler - Brandon Carr
-
Quakertown Wrestler (Blacksheep Award Winner) - Max Hibsman
Tommy Ellis Memorial Foundation
2025 Grit Award Winners
This award recognizes a student athlete who exemplifies relentless determination, perseverance, and mental toughness. It honors the athletes who pushes through adversity, works tirelessly to improve, and inspires teammates through unwavering effort and resilience
All three of the above award winners; Danny, Brandon & Max are all seniors and all received a $500 check to go towards their next chapter whether it is college, military or workforce. We wish them well and continued success on and off the mat. This was made possible because of the continued support shown by our community through our fundraising events. Thank you!
2nd Annual Golf Tournament
Date: Monday June 15, 2026
Location: Rock Manor Golf Course, Wilmington, DE
Documentary Announcement:
Honoring Thomas “Tommy” Andrew Ellis
Together with Jimmy Pro, I am thrilled to announce that we are beginning work on a documentary about Tommy.
After sitting down with Jimmy, we have a vision we are both so excited for, and I am so grateful he is helping to make this happen.
How You Can Be Part of It
-
Share Your Story: If you knew Tommy, we invite you to be part of this project. You can join us on camera in an interview style, or if you prefer not to be filmed, you can write your story and we will narrate it. We also welcome any photos or videos you may want to share. Please reach out to us at temfoundation24@gmail.com. We may also reach out to you so don't be surprised if we do.
-
Timeline: Filming will begin in January 2026, giving us time to gather footage and edit along the way.
-
Premiere: We are planning a premiere showing on December 18, 2026. Details on the location and time will be shared once confirmed. This special date is just three days after Tommy’s birthday, so we will also celebrate his incredible life together.
We are looking forward to working with everyone and anyone who knew Tom and wants to share their story. We want to hear it all, the good, the bad, the ugly and the great!! It's all a part of his story so let's hear it!
"What did he mean to you"
Ryan France
Tommy is the one of the reasons I am in coaching today . Tommy coached me when we moved to Aston in the early 2000s playing for the bandits . I took plenty of knowledge of instruction from him that help me be a better player / person . But his best coaching job and what made the most impact on me is when he took over as head wrestling coach at SV my junior year . The program was in shambles , I never wrestled , he asked me to come out for the team, I did, that year was rough , lol ass kicking after ass kicking , I wrestled as heavy weight my junior year . Going into my senior year as I was ready to throw in the tale , Tommy wouldn’t let me , made me come back and work harder . I went from Heavy weight , not winning a match my junior year , to my senior year making sections at 195lbs . No other coach could have gave me the confidence and work ethic to be able to make that happen . I model my coaching today after how Tommy coach me .
"Who Is Tommy Ellis?"
Mike Garvey
I knew of Tommy before 2010,
I just didn't know him personally. Our son Nick showed interest in wrestling so I took him to a friend Ed Bailey for training. Nick joined Northley wrestling in 7th grade the Bostwick brothers were coaching. Nick had a great season. The following year Nicks 8th grade season Tommy took over as coach. I had to become more familiar with Coach Tom because Nick was different and Tommy needed to know this. Well he soon found out. Nick fell in love with wrestling and being a part of a team helped him with his socializing. I was slowly getting to know Tommy and BJ at this time. I offered my help as a parent and Tom accepted the help. As the seasons came and went we became good friends. Myself and Janice were volunteering with the High school team running the concession stand. It seemed anything that had to do with the kids was Tom's first priority and became mine also. Tommy came to me one day and wanted to discuss one of the wrestlers ( Michael ). He was living from couch to couch after being thrown out on the streets. After talking to my wife and son we invited Michael to live with us. Michael lived with us for two years. I knew then that Tommy loved these kids and so did I. We were wrestling all 12 months now. Team Defient, Turks Head and Sun Valley. The coaches we had in the early years. Phil, Matt , Steve ,What a family we had become. We met coaches from all over the state. Then the team was getting better. Our early trips to Hershy were the best. Wrestling , bowling, Pizza.
And a few late night trips to the casino. As I write this I am now seeing what all this really means to me. Steph and the girls. Tommy's mom Jan and Dave.
BJ And Melissa Barlow. Kelly Poole. And countless people who have been brought into my life.
I am so Blessed because of all of you. I miss my buddy. It's going to be a tough season without you.
"What are they saying?"
Amy Hartfuss
Rocco Hartfuss's mom
Obviously I meant Tommy through my son Rocco,wrestling and the Holefelder's.
What always made Tommy a great guy in my eyes was that way he was with my Rocco and all the other kids. So much more than a coach. He was a friend, a mentor, a father figure to many. The reason this stuck out so much to me was it wasn't just for the kids on his Sun Valley team it was the same for all the kids he worked with. We are from Ridley and he gave Rocco just as much time as every other kid. Just wanted them all to do great things on the mat and off.
There is one memory I have that will always stick out to me. The summer before Rocco's junior year the US Coast Guard Academy reached out to Rocco to apply there and wrestle for them. At the time Ridley did not have a coach due to Tony Fabri going to Oxford. Rocco was not sure if he planned to wrestle after high school and needed someone to talk to about it. Tommy was the one he chose to go to. I remember Rocco telling us that Tommy said you got this but you also have to be committed. He told Rocco whether he wrestled or not he had to make the decision that was best for him. When it came time to fill out the application we had to list a high school coach and a club coach to contact and since we didn't have a high school coach at the time Tommy said to list him as his coach for both. WOW , there are no words . He always went above and beyond. Rocco did not choose to go to the Academy and wrestle but he followed his heart and went into the Coast Guard as you know.
I want to thank you and your girls for sharing your Tommy with my Rocco and so many others. He was truly one of a kind. May the memories of him live on forever in your heart.
Also, I think what you are doing writing his story is a wonderful thing, God Bless