About four years ago, one of our wrestlers, 16-year old, Nathan Estvold died of cancer. We decided to start a Relay for Life team in his honor. Fifteen wrestlers joined coach Bill Evans, Dennis Peterson and myself to form "Team Nathan" Wrestlers for Life. This will be our fourth year.

We decided, instead of asking for money, we would work for it. So we started the "Rent-A-Wrestler" program. We charge $15 per hour, per wrestler of which 100% of the money goes to the American Cancer Society. The first year we raised $3,500 and last year $6,000. In addition to raising money, we set-up and tore down for the event. We also do trash detail during the relay.

During "Rent-a-Wrestler" we split firewood, move dirt, spread bark, stain decks, load lumber, mow lawn, cut weeds and help people move. Moving people has become a big job. If you send three or four wrestlers with a moving van, the job can be done quickly. If you get more than four wrestlers together, they tend to goof around more unless there is a coach supervising. I check on most jobs regardless.

We do the "Relay for Life" program from April 1st to July 15th. The rest of the year the money goes to our wrestling programs. Once we raised about $4,000 for our club. We let the wrestlers who put in the most time to do the jobs, earn $12 per hour and keep the pay.

This has become a tremendous program that has won several awards for our efforts. In 2005, we won an American Red Cross "Real Heroes" award for community service. In 2006 the American Cancer Society honored us with the "Heart of the Relay" award. This award covered a twelve state region recognizing us for our youth involvement in the Relay for Life.

In addition to this we have adopted our local Senior Center and do any and all jobs requiring lots of muscle. The annual March for Meals, a senior nutrition program, is another of our projects. This is done by our Middle School and younger-aged wrestlers.

This project has exploded into something that benefits all involved, far beyond our expectations. The boys have a sense of community, they interact and learn the importance of helping others, especially the elderly. They learn life and job skills that can benefit them in later in life and, most important, it increases team spirit. We hope to have at least one "Wrestlers for Life" program in every state so that we can Takedown cancer and at the same time promote the great sport of wrestling.

See also Newspaper article, Rent Wrestler flyer and Sponsor request. For further information please contact Jim at:

Jim McNally
2023 I Ave.
Anacortes WA. 98221
360-293-1180
sunny1@fidalgo.net